


Brave New World, Book 6: Unfurling Destiny

by MoonFox



Series: Brave New World [6]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Merlin (TV), Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Bromance, F/M, Gen, Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-10-16
Packaged: 2018-01-20 07:49:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 95,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1502510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonFox/pseuds/MoonFox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The pieces have been laid out.  The players are waiting.<br/>Destinies will finally be unfurled in the continuing adventure of Merlin, Arthur, and the knights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Part 6: Unfurling Destiny**

****

The smooth, amber liquid flowed over the ice cubes in beautiful, cascading waves. Laney looked out the window of the parlor, and watched her boys playing on the manicured lawn of the old English manor house. They had been in the UK for almost two weeks, and they were settling in. She was expecting a truck any minute with their possessions, and she had just gotten off a call with her realtor. There was an offer on the house, that she had accepted for above the asking price. The only catch…the new owners requested her to be present for signing the documents.

It was an odd request, but they were buying the entire place, along with the equipment, and even wanted to negotiate for some of the livestock that a neighbor had been planning on taking to auction the next week for her. From the time Gwaine had arrived home, after his trip to D.C., life had been running at full steam. Household goods were packed and the boys pulled out of school. Even Laney's roan mare was certified healthy and transported. Gwaine still technically worked for the SGC and the Marines, but his new position allowed him to be off with his buddies...his 'brothers' as he called them...searching through space. Merlin hadn't officially turned down the UNIT position, but he made it clear that things were going to be done on his own terms, as he had always done.

Laney took three glasses outside to the patio where Gwen and Martha were sitting, watching the kids play. One held clear soda, while the other two had alcohol.

"It might be a bit early..." She said, setting the glasses down. "…But, I think the house in Colorado is sold!"

"That is great news!" Martha picked up the glass and clinked it against Laney's.

The older woman didn't miss the fact that Martha then set it aside, without taking a drink. "Not your vintage?" She joked. During previous times, when they had gotten together, Martha had imbibed with Laney. So, it was a bit odd to see her just push it away...or it was odd…Laney thought. Then, she realized she hadn't seen the other woman drink at all, since she and the boys had arrived. "Oh, my god! Martha!"

Flashing her friend a brilliant smile, Martha ducked her head and blushed.

Laney squealed and put her glass on the side table, gathering Martha up in a massive hug.

Gwen was staring at them with wide-eyed curiosity, as she caught the meaning of the conversation. Her own hands rubbed at her distended belly, just coming into the third trimester. "Martha, are you pregnant?"

Martha nodded enthusiastically. "We weren't going to tell anyone for a while. My Mum doesn't even know yet."

"How far along?" Laney asked.

"Not far at all. Just a day or so off of six weeks. It's rather easy to pin it down to our anniversary, with all the rushing around and such."

Laney took Martha's drink, and poured it in with her own. "Guess I'll just have to take one for the team then, huh?"

Cackling, Martha threw back her head. "Don't force yourself on my account!"

"Trust me, nothing forced about it."

"So…what happened between you and Leon?" Martha's eyes narrowed suspiciously at her friend, hoping to catch her off-guard and get the boisterous woman to open up. Even Gwen sat forward to listen.

"HA!...Not going there. Nice try, though."

"Come on, Laney." Martha implored. When Merlin had been in the hospital, Laney had mentioned something about her relationship with Leon, but it had only been in passing. It was obvious during the short time they had been around each other since coming to the UK, and prior to the men leaving the planet, that the two practically went out of their way to avoid even being in the same room. "Something is going on between the two of you."

She snorted softly and rolled her eyes. After a rather large swallow of her drink, she realized her two friends were not going to let her get away with avoiding the subject. A few false starts later and Laney finally admitted, "We've been sleeping together, alright?...Not something to make a big deal over."

Martha laughed outright, and shared an expression with Gwen. "We already figured that part out on our own, thank you. What I want to know is about the recent fall out. Come on, fess up!"

Laney glanced out toward the lawn. She was thankful to see her salvation from the awkward conversation heading her way. "Oh, look! Here come the kids…"

* * *

"You know, if you..."

"Merlin, shut up! I am not modifying a perfectly well designed ship! I've been flying around space for longer than you've been flying, period." Leon scowled at his friend, before amending his statement. "Fine…more consistently."

The warlock smirked and stuck his nose back in his notebook, sketching out rough ideas for aerodynamic improvements to Leon's ship. The immortal knight certainly had more experience in flying, especially in space, but Merlin's imagination in designing aircraft was not limited by the centuries of acceptance of his situation. Space flight was a new and exciting adventure for his old soul. They had been traveling the stars for over two weeks, sifting through clues as to where Aithusa was being held.

Since the destruction of the Ori ship, when the people of the SGC had successfully closed the wormhole to the Ori's galaxy, the strain on Merlin had lessened significantly. Dr. Jackson and Vala had gone to Atlantis, an Ancient city in the Pegasus Galaxy, searching for more information in the extensive data base. While there, an ingenious plan had been formed to use a nearby singularity, a black hole, to power a Gate from the Pegasus galaxy and dial-in to the Supergate. They had hoped that the new incoming wormhole would cause the one connected from Celestis to break off. The result had been beyond anybody's expectations, and it left an open wormhole with unlimited energy to connect to the Supergate. [1]

Teal'c had been in a cloaked ship monitoring the Milky Way side of the gate, just as an Ori ship had come through. The 'kawoosh' as the new wormhole formed, sent out the typical wave of raw energy and disintegrated the Ori ship. At the same time, the gravitational field of the black hole within Pegasus had crushed an incoming enemy Wraith vessel.

The Wraiths were humanoid creatures who had once been large life-sucking bugs, but over millions of years, they had evolved into ruthless hive-minded beings; determined to cull every human life in Pegasus for food. The day the ships were destroyed, was a major win in both galaxies for the people of the Tau'ri...but, it left Merlin clueless in his personal search.

Leon had taken them to meet with Heimdall, the Asgard who had befriended and helped the ancient knight over the centuries. Heimdall, and the other Asgards, were reluctant at first. After recently winning their own war against a robotic race called Replicators, and now facing the Ori, their resources were stretched.

Arthur placed a hand on Leon's shoulder, as he moved forward and took over the negotiations. Somehow, he had managed to convince the Asgard to send out one ship for information gathering. The alien ships were capable of intergalactic travel, but it would take at least a month before the Asgard vessel made it to Celestis. Once there, the ship could begin to report back on their findings, using Ancient Communication Stones, similar to what Vala had used to inhabit Daniel's body to send her message from Celestis. It was a dangerous mission, infiltrating an unknown galaxy, especially with no knowledge of what they might encounter.

After the Asgard, they had flown to speak with the Nox. Immediately, Arthur had taken up the role of leader, attempting to negotiate with the peaceful race, as he had with the Asgard. The Nox had both impressed and infuriated Arthur. He could see the relation to the druidic people around his old kingdom. While they had confirmed Merlin's suspicions of the staves and the Ori's possible abuse of Aithusa, they had refused to get directly involved.

Merlin had smiled hopefully, when Lya told him they would give Aithusa a safe sanctuary and a peaceful place to recover, once the dragon was found.

With each passing week, more worlds were either being destroyed or bowing down to the Ori. In the midst of it all, the search for Moros' Weapon by the SGC continued. Then, they received word through the SGC that they weren't the only ones looking for it. Ba'al, the last Goa'uld System Lord, had been searching, as well. A ship had been taken down, when it approached Earth and failed to respond to hails. Inside was the very alien they had been worried about.[2]

Leon had suddenly seemed distant when the name was dropped. His shoulders tightened and his fists clenched. After some prodding, he finally spoke to the others about how he was betrayed in the monastery, and the subsequent flight for his life with the sword on his back. It was obvious that Ba'al believed the sword to be the weapon they were all searching for. While it did hold the ability to destroy beings who were no longer living fully in the normal plane of existence, it was still just a sword that needed a man's hand to wield it, and not the actual weapon they were searching for.

After allowing Dr. Lee and Colonel Carter to run scans on Arthur's sword, it had been determined that the energy in it was similar to the piece of Mordred's blade that had been taken out of Arthur's chest. The main difference being, the piece of shrapnel had not been as pure. Also, unlike the broken piece, they weren't able to find a way to replicate the effects without actually damaging Arthur's sword. They had destroyed the sword fragment in order to create the device that was able to temporarily negate the Priors' abilities.

In addition, it was discovered that no matter what tests they attempted, the micro-genetic make-up of Merlin's blood always showed adverse effects. This confused the scientists, until the warlock explained that, even before he came into his heritage as a Dragon Lord, his magic had never worked on the dragons. The best explanation that Martha could come up with, involved the genetic issues going back to when the Ori had first harnessed the power of the dragons, and manipulated the bond between man and beast.

With the downed ship, the SGC was facing a situation they had not prepared for. Ba'al had found a way, with stolen Ancient technology, to clone himself and his symbiote. Now, these clones were turning against him. He also claimed that he knew the key to locating the planet where the Sangraal was located. He was willing to hand over this information, if the SGC helped him take care of the situation with the problematic clones.

Merlin had commented that he had a bad feeling about the situation. General Landry had sent a request, asking them to help track down one of the clones, who was on a planet inaccessible by the Stargate. Gwaine, Arthur, Leon, and Percival had all given Merlin varying looks of surprise and concern. That had lasted only for a handful of seconds before they had all started chuckling. Once upon a time, Arthur would have made fun of the gut instinct, and the others would have been in the background, teasing them both for the bickering it would have sparked.

This time, however, Arthur had simply nodded and asked if Merlin had an alternative solution. Unfortunately, he didn't. If this Ba'al had a piece of the puzzle…or at least a bit of information on it…Merlin was willing to do whatever needed to be done.

He flipped to the inside back cover of the notebook, and ran his thumb over the picture of Martha and himself, which had once graced his desk in Snowdon. On the opposite page, was a crayon sketch of a dragon that Laney's youngest had drawn for him, while he was unconscious in the SGC, as a 'get well' card.

"We're here." Percival announced.

Merlin put his notebook aside, and joined the others at the window; looking down on the planet below.

Leon shook away his apprehension and checked the levels in his energy weapon. Percival secured a couple of extra clips of ammunition and readied his firearm, as did Gwaine. Arthur's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. He had a rifle slung across his chest, but he still didn't have the proficiency the others did with modern weaponry. Although, he had become better after a few more intensive sessions of paintball over the winter months.

"Don't overexert yourself down there." Arthur warned Merlin. "I, for one, will not be carrying your unconscious body back to the ship, if you do."

Merlin sniggered, "Yeah, you will, because you like me…and couldn't stand to be without me. Plus, my wife will kill you if you don't."

Arthur sneered, "Shut up, Merlin. Besides, I thought that was what you hired your grandson, or whatever he is, for."

Covering a fake cough with his fist, Gwaine rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh.

The Tel'tak set down on the ground, and Leon set the ship's power to standby before they exited onto the planet's surface. This was to be the first time, since their days of patrolling centuries ago, that all of them had participated in an actual mission together that might include some action.

Mickey had stayed behind on Earth. Partly, it was to assist Daniel Jackson in going through some of Merlin's personal library; searching for anything that could point the archeologist in the direction of finding the planets…while keeping track of any discovery for Merlin. As well, it was because it turned out that his ankle had been a little more than twisted, during his and Gwaine's flight from the bandits. Martha had put her foot down as a doctor, forcing the young man to stay behind.

Adjusting his sunglasses, Gwaine grinned at the others. "Let's play Ba'al!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cover art by Matthew72
> 
> 1-Stargate SG-1 Episode 10x03 "The Pegasus Project"
> 
> 2-SG-1 episode 10x04 "Insiders"


	2. Chapter 2

Heavy footsteps, in a solid cadence, echoed throughout the corridors of the ship. It was a strange sound after the muted din of the forest they had passed through to reach it.

"Just like old times!" Gwaine had joked, and then glanced down at the P-90 in his hand. "Well...almost."

From the scans of the planet's surface, Leon had been able to determine the location of the Goa'uld ship. It was smaller than the standard Ha'tak, the Goa'uld Mothership, but still kept the same tetrahedronal design; surrounded by the outer superstructure that housed the weapons. Unlike many of the Goa'uld vessels, that were thousands of years old, this one was different.

"Still has that 'new car' smell." Gwaine had commented when they entered.

Merlin took a deep breath and nodded his agreement. "I always thought there was something weird with the Ancient Egyptians." Merlin chuckled, "Before all this, though, I would have never guessed they were aliens."

"Before all this...I always thought you were some weird type of alien...especially with those ears. They are decidedly  _not_  human." Arthur grinned at his joke.

"Well, before this, you didn't even know what an alien was!...If you want to get technical."

Leon sniggered, "I actually thought it was Gwaine..."

"Oy! Why me?"

It was Percival who answered, "One time when you were drunk..."

The others mumbled varying sentiments about the words 'one time' and 'drunk' when it concerned their friend.

"Alright," he laughed, "...On a few occasions when you were drunk, you would say the weirdest things. We all thought you were rather odd."

"What did I say? I kept my cover as being a man from the future quite well, thank you very much."

"There was that one instance..." Arthur started, but was suddenly silenced when Gwaine held his hand up, signaling for the party to halt.

The five men put their backs flush to the wall, and held their breath, while the patrol passed them by. Once out of sight, around a turn far ahead, Gwaine motioned that it was clear to continue. He motioned to himself and Percival first, indicating the direction they would go, before sweeping a finger at the other three and pointing in the opposite direction. It was a decision they had previously agreed upon. Gwaine and Leon were the only two who could navigate the layout of Goa'uld ships and bases. He knew Arthur trusted Leon more than any of the others, save Merlin, and where Arthur went, Merlin followed.

The corridors were nearly silent, as they crept from room to room, searching for any sign of the elusive System Lord clone. After a while, Gwaine's radio clicked once, a signal from the others that they had found something, but didn't want to accidentally give away their positions if Percival and Gwaine were close to enemy troops. Checking their surroundings, and finding them devoid of Jaffa, Gwaine keyed his radio. "Whatcha got?" He asked quietly.

"We think we found him." Leon's hushed voice explained their position.

A few minutes later, Percival and Gwaine came upon the other three, sitting around a corner from the main bridge. The door to the bridge slid open and a contingent of Jaffa soldiers came marching out. The five men held their weapons up, ready just in case the Jaffa came toward them. A momentary sigh of relief, when it appeared as if their luck would hold, was cut short when the door opened again, and four more soldiers stomped out, followed by the man himself.

They waited for only a moment before tailing after him, looking for the best opportunity to ambush the Goa'uld.

It didn't take long...Ba'al exited the ship, and ordered all but two of his guards off.

The five men glanced at each other. Leon raised his weapon at Ba'al, while Gwaine and Arthur aimed at the guards. Merlin kept his eyes open, ready to assist where needed in providing cover fire. It was Percival's job to grab the Goa'uld and secure him.

Shots were fired, and the Jaffa guards fell to the stun blasts. Ba'al laid unconscious on the ground. They could hear the other guards shouting. Percival ducked under a badly aimed blast from a staff weapon, as he headed toward the Goa'uld. Merlin instinctively turned and fired a few shots high above the Jaffa's heads, causing the returning Jaffa guards to dash for cover.

Scooping up their quarry in his arms, the large man kept his head low, as he raced back to the others. Merlin held out his hand and with a flash of his eyes, he brought down a tree behind his friend, blocking the path for the Jaffa.

He shrugged off Arthur's glare. It had taken energy to cast the spell, but in a way, it had still felt good to let his magic play just a bit. Merlin figured he could sleep it off on the way home.

They raced back to the waiting ship with an unconscious Ba'al slung over Percival's shoulder. Although, they had noticed they weren't being followed. Merlin's mention of it seeming 'too easy,' went mostly ignored.

"...Just like old times." He muttered with a smirk.

* * *

His fingertips kneaded against the soft flesh behind her hips, grasping for purchase against the silky skin. His eyes, barely slits, watched the rise and fall of her body above him. It took so much self-restraint to simply lay underneath the gorgeous woman, and let her have her way. His lips quirked into odd smiles with each rocking motion. He felt like he was going to lose his mind. Her name was on his tongue in a husky undertone, as he finally reached out, and threaded his fingers through the satiny, black strands of her hair. Gwaine pulled her down to him and drank of her lips, like a man dying of thirst.

After almost three weeks away from Carolyn, he realized how much he had already begun to miss her. They had decided to treat his new move from the SGC as most military couples did. It was a deployment…although, without as many of the rules regarding time off and phone calls. However, calling her from Leon's ship wasn't exactly easy outside of Earth's atmosphere. So, he'd recorded short messages that were saved, and sent the moment they got close enough.

She had obviously loved the messages, Gwaine smirked...if their lovemaking was any indication.

He had just flipped her over, and was now on top. Kissing her continuously, when his phone spoke to him…again. It was a new device Merlin had convinced him to get, and one feature announced who was calling or texting. Gwaine had yet to find a way to turn the annoying, computerized voice off. The sound was muffled and lost in the pile of clothing on the floor, but still clear enough to be a distraction.

Carolyn groaned her frustration at the persistent interruptions.

"I'm going to kill him," growled Gwaine. For the ump-teenth time since they had fallen into the bed, Gwaine's phone told him his nephew had sent another message. Ever since Toby had been brought in on the newest version of the 'Round Table', the boy had overreacted time and time again. His youthful imagination was creating all sorts of headaches for Gwaine and the others. The moment the device went silent, Gwaine turned his attention back to the woman underneath him. "…Later."

* * *

"Uncle Gwaine! No one will believe me! Something's wrong with Mom. I can't get a hold of her. They think I'm just paranoid. Merlin and Martha are in London, otherwise I know he'd believe me. I don't know where the other guys of your team are. Arthur and Gwen are busy with the little kids. He said I'm overreacting, but I don't think I am. Are you in Colorado? Because that's where Mom went and she was supposed to call yesterday, but never did. Something happened, I just know it…"

"Whoa! Slow down. What the frack are you talking about?" Gwaine asked, walking into the kitchen. "Your mom's in Colorado? What's she doing here?"

After apprehending the Ba'al clone, they had attempted to get any information they could out of the alien, only to become increasingly frustrated to the point where they simply wanted him off the ship. The Goa'uld had recognized Leon, and the evil gleam in his eyes, as they glowed gold while he threatened them in a deep, metallic voice, had put them all on edge.

At first, the others had thought it was magic, until Leon and Gwaine had pulled them aside and explained the nature of the Goa'uld symbiote. The Goa'ulds were snake-like creatures that inhabited their host's body, and controlled them completely.

The similarities to a creature called the Formorrah...something Morgana had used on Merlin at one time, in a failed attempt to kill Arthur...didn't sit well with Merlin. There wasn't a single magical sense that came from the unified creature and man, as far as he could discern, and that put the warlock on edge.

They could see that Ba'al had recognized the sword, too. After the initial capture, Leon had convinced Arthur to lock it away for the time being, in the hidden compartment designed specifically for the blade. It was the safest move possible, until they were able to unload the alien on the SGC. The others had gone back to the UK to see if Dr. Jackson and Mickey had found anything, while Gwaine had wanted to spend at least a few hours with Carolyn.

Holding out a fresh cup of coffee, Carolyn silently asked if everything was alright. Gwaine shrugged and waited for his nephew to continue.

"She was selling the house and had to fly there to sign some papers, but that was two days ago!"

He took a sip of the strong, dark liquid. "…And you haven't heard from her since?"

"Just the first day, when she got there. She said she was going to be busy, but that she'd call…and…Greg and Randy are worried." Toby explained, trying to make it sound like he was only calling on behalf of the younger boys.

Gwaine pursed his lips. It wasn't like his sister to leave her kids hanging for that long. "Alright. I'll try and track her down," he promised. He sighed, as he hung up the phone and wondered how he was supposed to drive around in search. Carolyn had to be back at work in a couple of hours, and he'd sold the Beast to Mitchell for a few hundred dollars.

While he didn't think his friend would mind him borrowing it back, the problem was simple logistics. Gwaine decided to ride with his girlfriend to the Base, and see if he could snag the keys from Mitchell. Then, somehow, find a ride to Mitchell's house to get the Scout.

* * *

The SGC was in lockdown when they arrived. The Ba'al clones, had used the combined power of their individual tracking devices that the real Ba'al had implanted in them, to boost the signal and get beamed out of the SGC to a waiting transport ship. Carolyn shoved her keys into Gwaine's hand, and told him to take her car, as it didn't appear that Mitchell, or anyone else for that matter, would be allowed off of the Base for a while. She was only allowed in because of her position.

Laney's phone went directly to voicemail again, and Gwaine could feel a nagging sensation in the back of his mind. He pulled up to the house and saw her rental car sitting in the driveway. There was no sign of life, as he cocked the slide on his sidearm and moved toward the front door. Trying the latch, he found it unlocked, and cautiously made his way inside. Gwaine hoped he wasn't going to find his sister in another compromising position, like he had the previous time he'd entered with his gun. As far as he was aware, however, Leon was back in the UK with the others, and Laney still hadn't sat down to speak with him.

The floorboards creaked under his feet, making him wince and curse the old house. Other than that, there wasn't a sound; no obnoxious groans of passion coming from any of the, now, empty rooms. Each corner he turned, he held up his weapon and swept the area with his eyes, before lowering the barrel and moving on. His chest tightened as one-by-one, he mentally declared each room 'clear', until he arrived at the kitchen.

Across the floor, the contents of his sister's purse were strewn. His toe knocked into a small cylinder, and he looked down to see it was the spray can of mace she always carried for self-protection. Crouching down, Gwaine picked it up, his eyes still scanning the room. He could smell the peppery odor, and he knew instinctively that it had been used recently. Her phone beeped from under the refrigerator, signaling unacknowledged messages. Keys; nail file; wallet…scattered over the floor, and in the midst was a business card for the realtor. Gwaine picked it up and read the name. 'Deacon Marshall'… Something about it struck him as odd.

He tried calling the number, but it had been disconnected. He then remembered his sister saying that the new realtor was a creep, but she had sworn to him that she could handle it. Heck, she had dealt with worse than him while working in retail. Gwaine's jaw clenched. The whole situation reeked of something foul.

He threw the card on the counter and called General Landry. Once connected, he filled Landry in on the details he had gathered, and was ordered to wait at the house until a team arrived. The SGC was still cleaning up from all the mess created by Ba'al. So, it was going to take a bit of time. He thanked his lucky stars that he was still a part of the military, and more than that, for his connections to it. While a call to the local sheriff's office may have sufficed, his gut told him to go with the big guns.

Gwaine hoped he was wrong, and went to search the barn and other sheds around the property, while he waited, to see if his sister was simply hiding out somewhere. That only killed fifteen minutes of the hour, or more, that it would take the team from the SGC to get out to the house. Pacing on the porch, he started to light a smoke, snagged from the spilled contents of his sisters purse, but after three unsuccessful attempts with his own lighter, he threw it across the yard.

Back in the house, he sifted through the purse to try and locate some matches, or another lighter. He found another business card from the first realtor; the one he had met when his sister had begun the process of listing the property. He read the name aloud. "Michael Farrow, FM Realty. Deacon Marshall and Michael Farrow…Farrow-Marshall…FRACKING HELL!" He exclaimed as the epiphany hit him, and he realized where he knew the name from.

His first mission back from the sixth century, once he had been cleared for Active Duty, had been to help clear a building in Seattle that had been built out of Naquadah. Ba'al had been hiding on Earth at that time, secretly pulling the strings behind not only a group called The Trust, but also an aeronautics firm that had contracts with the Department of Defense. The company's name was Farrow-Marshall.

He reached under the refrigerator and retrieved his sister's phone. It beeped again, this time alerting him to an extremely low battery. There was just enough power to see that there was an alert from a voice-recorded note, demanding attention. He played it, and felt his blood boil at the demanding voice he had already learned to despise from the past week of travel. Afterwards, the phone went dead.

Determinedly, he called Leon, and steeled himself for whatever happened next. "Hey. Get the ship ready."

"…Why?" Leon drawled out. The ancient knight had no problem with taking off at a moment's notice. It had been a standard in his life for so long, but he wanted to know why the order was coming from Gwaine, and not Arthur or Merlin. Although, he knew both men were trying to enjoy all the downtime they could with their wives, before rushing back off into space.

What Gwaine said next, had him moving, without concern for any of the other men. He left Percival staring after him, as he immediately transported to his ship and began to prepare it with just four words from Gwaine: "Ba'al kidnapped my sister."

* * *

Music played softly from the car stereo, barely a whisper of melody, over the sound of the engine and the tires on the road. Martha pressed her face to the glass of the window, and watched the darkened world outside pass by.

They were on their way home early, after having initially planned to stay in London with the Jones family for a few days. A family argument had erupted when Francine had begun questioning Merlin and Martha if having a child was the best choice, especially since they refused to elaborate on Merlin's current health issues.

Theo, Martha's brother, had stepped in to point out that there would always be some concerns as to when to have kids. He had a daughter of his own, and was never afraid to challenge his own mother on issues of parenting. Martha's sister, Tish, was extremely career-oriented, as Martha had been until recently. Tish was still in denial upon finding out that her sister had simply quit UNIT, without the prospect of another job in her sights.

Merlin had stayed out of it, and sat with Clive in the kitchen. Francine and Clive had been married, divorced, and recently remarried to each other again. The bickering coming from the front room was nothing new to the father of three.

When Martha had come banging through the door of the kitchen in a huff, Merlin knew it was time to go.

Reaching across the front seat, Merlin took his wife's hand. His thumb absently drew circles inside her palm. "It'll be alright."

"What if she's right?" Martha whispered to the window, allowing her mind, exhausted from the argument, to play on some of her own self-doubts.

"What do you mean?"

"Not about us, but about the baby. I mean, how are  _we_  going to explain our lives? What if something does happen to you, out there in the stars? I..."

"Shhhh..." He soothed her. "I don't know. I've never been in a position like this Martha. I guess, we just do like your brother suggested. We do the best we can."

Anything else he was going to say was interrupted by the announcement from his car that he had an incoming call from Percival. Pursing his lips, Merlin mentally grumbled, before telling the system to 'answer.'

"Hey Percival. What's up?"

"Have you heard from Gwaine or Leon?" The knight's voice asked.

"No..." Merlin scrunched his face, wondering why his friend would have thought he would have. "Did something happen?"

"I don't know. Leon received a call from Gwaine a couple of hours ago, and then, he just took off. Neither Mickey, nor myself, have been able to get a hold of them since. Arthur hasn't heard anything either, but he did say Laney's oldest boy has been acting out, and he was ready to find some makeshift stocks...or lock him in what's left of the dungeons for the night."

"Oh, for crying out loud." Merlin rolled his eyes, not doubting Arthur's threat. It didn't matter how many times he had tried to explain that corporal punishment was no longer acceptable. The former king continued to threaten it. Merlin wouldn't be surprised in the least, if he made it home to find that the threat had been carried through. "Martha and I will be home in about an hour. Try to keep Toby away from Arthur until then, at least."

Percival chuckled, "I think the boy is pretty well hidden, at the moment. But, I will do what I can."

Once the phone call disconnected, Martha turned to her husband. "One thing I do know for certain...Arthur is never going to be allowed to babysit. Aside from having very little clue about children...even with one of his own...that man needs his own nanny to follow  _him_  around. I'm surprised he can even wipe his own arse."

Merlin burst out laughing. "In all honesty...he couldn't...until I had met him." He saw the disbelief in her eyes. "I'm serious! There was actually a servant in the castle, whose only duty was to clean the royal backsides. Arthur tried to get me to do it for him, when I was first appointed as his manservant." Merlin grimaced at the memory.

"I bet that went over well! He probably learned really quick!"

"Yeah." Merlin agreed, "I don't think he's figured it out yet...I'll just let him keep thinking I was actually stupid enough to accidentally use some type of poisonous plant leaves."

"Oh, dear god! Maybe I should be more worried about you than him, eh? Looks like I'll be the one in charge of the toilet training."


	3. Chapter 3

Nearly a week had gone by, with no word from the two errant knights. Merlin had successfully found Toby, and been able to keep him safe from Arthur's wrath.

A call to General Landry told Merlin all he needed to know about the situation. It was clear, in hindsight, that the entire situation with the clones was a devious ruse on the SGC. Aside from accessing the database at the SGC and obtaining information about the Sangraal and Arthur's sword, the Goa'uld and all of his clones, had used their mass transport to facilitate Laney's kidnapping, as well.

Colonel Mitchell had found the business cards at the house, and had come to the same conclusion. However, by the time he and his team had arrived, Gwaine was already gone. Only a hastily scribbled note explained that he was going to do whatever it took to get his sister back. All attempts at communicating with Leon's ship had gotten no response. So, while they knew who was behind it, there was nothing to indicate where they could have headed.

Merlin recalled the interest that Ba'al's clone, whom they had helped apprehend, had shown concerning the sword. Leon's story of his escape. centuries earlier, only added to the warlock's suspicions.

If the alien already had prior knowledge of Laney's involvement with the men from the sixth century, it was a logical conclusion that he took the woman as collateral. All Merlin could figure out, and Mitchell agreed, was that Gwaine knew the details of the demands, but had been so angered at the kidnapping, that he hadn't thought to wait for backup.

For the life of him, though, Merlin couldn't figure out why the typically level-headed Leon would have rushed off with him...that was, until Martha pointed out two crucial elements. Leon had virtually and literally been on his own for centuries, and love always made a man act impulsively...no matter how old he was.

Merlin laid back on the mechanic creeper and rolled back under a recently acquired Land Rover. It was an older model, with plenty of issues that needed to be addressed. As he fiddled around the underside, Merlin was a bit disappointed that Gwaine wasn't there to join him. He planned to present the vehicle as a gift to his friend, as a replacement for the old Orange Scout he'd left behind.

He had tried to convince Gwaine that they could ship the Beast, but Gwaine was determined to make a fresh start.  _"...Besides,"_  he had said,  _"the parts are hard enough to come by here in the States. Why would I want the hassle of trying to keep her running when I have to wait a couple weeks for something to be shipped, and that's if I can even find the piece I need?"_

Finding something comparable to the dying old vehicle had taken a bit of searching, but Merlin had been pleased when he finally came across the old Series 1, Land Rover. The body was in good condition, and he had connections for any parts they might need. Overall, he felt it would be a good project for the two of them to work on.

Instead of Gwaine though, since he and Leon still failed to resurface, Merlin had a different helper. Rolling out a bit, he called to the teenager. "Oy, Toby. Can you hand me the pliers and a slotted screwdriver? I need to tighten one of the hose clamps on the fuel line."

"Sure thing!" The kid called back, eager to assist.

Merlin felt the tools in his hand, and rolled back under the Land Rover. He saw Toby crawl in next to him. While he knew the boy was watching him, he could feel a hint of nervous tension. "Something on your mind?"

It took a few moments, before Toby actually said anything. "Do you think they'll find my mom?"

"I do."

"Do you think Mom will be happy it's Leon helping to rescue her?"

Merlin had to chuckle. "Your uncle is with him."

"Well, yeah, but you don't know my mom that well. I doubt she'd like being rescued by someone she doesn't like anymore, even if Uncle Gwaine is with him."

"Why do you think she doesn't like Leon?"

Toby shrugged, "Each time I tried to mention him, she'd get all bitchy with me."

Smirking, Merlin continued to evaluate the underside of the Land Rover. "I think your mum is a very complicated woman. She probably likes him more than she wants to admit."

Biting his lip, Toby seemed to contemplate Merlin's words. "Do you think she loves him?"

"There's a good possibility." Reaching up, Merlin fiddled with something above him. He started describing the different parts of the vehicle, pointing out to Toby things to look for, and why they worked or didn't. Finally having a good idea of what needed to be done to get the Land Rover running smoothly, he decided to call it quits.

They started picking up the tools and putting things away. A few moments of silence passed between them, before Toby said something out of the blue. "You know, you're going to be a good dad."

Merlin burst out laughing, grinning widely at the mention of fatherhood. So far, the only changes were that Martha had become a bit more emotional, and in the way that her already toned abdomen had begun hardening ever so slightly. The warm feeling he got each time he touched her, knowing there was a child inside, caused his heart to flutter."You think so?"

"Yeah...Wish I had a dad who gave a shit."

Biting his tongue, Merlin ignored the language. It wasn't his place to reprimand Toby, especially when he knew the boy was trying hard to be strong, while his mother was missing. He thought about the holographic image of his own father, and then about the man who had been a true father figure in his life.

"Sometimes, it's not about the actual man who created you, you know? I never knew my father...Growing up...it was just my mother and me. When I was in my late teens, she sent me to her uncle...he was the Court Physician in Camelot. He may not have been my real father, but he was the first man in my life who I really took to...Closest thing I ever had to a father. I learned that sometimes it didn't matter how, or if, you are actually related to a person to build a relationship like that."

The teenager's face lit up. He nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks. I should...uh...probably go check on my brothers."

"You do that. Your mum will be back. You'll see." He reached out and squeezed Toby's shoulder.

It was only a few seconds after Toby left, that Merlin felt a slender hand wrap through his bent elbow. He paused while cleaning his tools and glanced down at the mess of dark, curly hair that came to rest on his shoulder.

"I remember you telling me something very similar, not long ago. Well...not long ago for me anyway. Barely more than a year, it seems...but, I still can't imagine how long it has been for you."

He leaned over and kissed the top of Gwen's head. "Did I?" He asked in a serious voice.

"Mmhmm. You did. I had been so worried about Aurelianus growing up; never being able to know his father. You pointed out how he would know Arthur from the stories that everyone was bound to tell him, and that there were plenty of men like yourself and Sir Leon who would gladly step into the role. Actually, that is not entirely accurate. You never specifically said that you would, not exactly. You said Sir Leon or others...which they did...which isn't to say that you didn't...or wouldn't...because you really did..."

Merlin smiled, recalling fondly how his friend used to stutter over her words in an attempt to over-explain things. In the time since she had been a queen, to being released from the stasis, and experiencing the joy of being simply a woman, and a mother...no longer a queen of a kingdom she never expected to rule alone...Gwen had allowed herself to relax and become herself, once again.

"What I mean is...he's right. You will make a marvelous father."

"I hope so. I'm so worried that I may not be around to see it, if..." He hesitated, not wanting to burden her with his own self-doubts. He bit his tongue and closed up his tool cabinet, worried that he had said too much already.

She turned him to look at her. "If what, Merlin?"

He leaned back against the cabinet and shrugged. Merlin knew if he asked her to drop it, she would, but it wouldn't keep her from worrying about him. Her words on the plane came back to him. She believed they were brought back for him, to help him.

"If I can't find a way to reach Aithusa..." He finally admitted, with a great deal of reluctance. The moment the words left him, he felt the burden ease. Her dark eyes, deep and caring, held no judgement, nor pity. They conveyed her concern, and the love she felt for the man who was her best friend.

"It tears me apart to think I might be putting Martha in the same position you were in, so long ago. I don't think there'll be some sort of stasis pod, waiting for me, with a chance that I would be with her and our baby again in a thousand or more years into the future."

"You can't know that, Merlin, but I have faith that your fear is an unfounded one. The love we have for our families can create miracles. We find a way to move mountains...or even the stars," she said poignantly, "...just to prove it."

He let her words settle in his mind. Suddenly, he stopped, every fiber of being almost coming to a complete halt, as an idea struck him. Merlin reached outward. He felt Martha's concern. She wanted nothing more than to help him, to love him. Gwaine and Leon were off somewhere, rushing headlong into danger, to save the woman they both cared for. Arthur, Percival, even Mickey...

He didn't want to admit to any of them, that the hole inside him was still growing, though much slower than before. Without the assault of Aithusa's pain connecting to him through the Supergate, it was manageable...but, still there. Gwen had said they were all there for him, but not a single one of them could give him the answer he sought.

On the edges of Merlin's senses, he felt Lancelot, or the knight's consciousness, in a shifted dimension as he stood by...waiting and ready, but unable to do more without risking everything.

The conversation when Arthur had knighted Merlin in the library came to mind. Arthur had asked the three immortal men how they had not gone mad over the years. Merlin's answer had been simple. Love. [1]

"Gwen, you are a genius." He smiled from ear to ear and kissed her forehead.

She chuckled. It wasn't the first time he had told her that, but as usual, she had no clue what he meant. Silently, she waited for him to elaborate.

Closing his eyes, the warlock did something he never imagined he would do. He called out to his greatest enemy...the one person who had loved the dragon beyond all others. Whispering her name, he hoped that the woman she had been...for all her faults and vile schemes...would hear him beyond the fanatical devotion that the Ori had bred into her. "Morgana..."

"Morgana?" She gasped in disbelief. Her face betrayed her concern over hearing the name.

His blue eyes were fading back from the gold, when he reopened them. "You're right, Gwen. Love can do amazing things." He hadn't been able to actually touch Morgana's mind, but through his silent call he had felt a stirring. It whispered to him through his magic, and told him he was on the right path. "I need to find some way to see if this 'Adria' has anything truly left of Morgana inside her. She might be the only one who can help me find Aithusa."

"OH!" Gwen started excitedly, suddenly remembering the reason for her coming out to the garage in the first place. "That's what I came out to tell you! Arthur took a call from General Landry. It seems that they would like you and him to go with them on a mission. The Odyssey is waiting to beam you up when you're ready. Arthur is already scrambling around packing...or panicking...I'm not sure which."

* * *

A large crowd had amassed in the town square. Banners sporting the symbol of the Ori hung from windows, balconies, and rooftops. Colorful streamers of celebration waved in the breeze, strung between buildings. To all outward appearances, there was a festive nature in the air, as the villagers celebrated their new-found faith in Origin.

There was an undercurrent of fear, however, that was almost palpable. Down each street marched the Soldiers of Origin, searching for non-believers, or simply anyone who was not in attendance for the Orici's speech. Despite the seemingly joyful celebrations, each person who was dragged out of their homes and into the streets was given one final chance. Submit to the will of the Ori, or perish.

Merlin swallowed down the ever present bile that had formed in his throat since the Odyssey had beamed them down to the planet. He had seen the same thing far too many times in his long life. So many times, so many friends...be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or Pagan...or even for something as benign as having a different skin tone, it was the same thing. From before Merlin's personal experiences with Uther to now, there was a wrongness that went far beyond his comprehension.

He had to admit that none of what he had seen before on Earth could stand up to the methods these aliens used, but in the end, the result still turned his stomach and made his blood boil. While the members of SG-1 and Arthur shared his looks of horror and disgust, for the time being, they all kept their heads down;F hidden under thick cloaks and disguised as villagers. The mission was for information gathering only. A small spark of hope burned brightly inside each of them...that they would find someway to defeat the Ori.

A hush fell over the crowd as a Prior came out onto a balcony above them. His brown robes were very similar to those of the Gregorian Monks on Earth, but instead of a cross, he wore the symbol of Origin around his neck. Merlin's eyes narrowed at the staff in the man's hand, as he held it up to demand silence from the crowd.

"Mark this day, for the darkness of your world has been lifted so the light of Origin may shine upon it."* The Prior stated loudly. His eyes were clouded over, and his skin was a pasty white.

If it were not for him moving about and speaking, he would have looked right at home in a coffin. Merlin mused about briefly using his magic to put him there. He knew he had the power to do so...a brush against his shoulder, turned Merlin's stare to Arthur. The blond man knew his friend too well, and his touch was a reminder that now was not the time to act hastily.

The villagers were cheering and calling out their praise of the Origin faith. The Prior's voice projected through the crowd. "You have cast aside the shackles of the past to welcome a brighter future." His tone quietened, "Now, hear the words of the Orici."*

Just behind him, curtains in an open doorway parted. A regal woman, dressed in an elaborately embroidered, strapless gold gown, with a large pendant glittering from her neck emerged. Her jet black hair was pulled back into a bun, and there wasn't a single hair out of place. Her eyes were consumed with a fiery glow. While similar to the gold that flared in Merlin's eyes when he cast a spell, hers didn't diminish. There was something completely unworldly and malicious in their depths. The villagers were murmuring in anticipation. Merlin heard Vala gasp and whisper to Jackson. "It's Adria!"*

He shared a look with Arthur. The woman on the balcony held no resemblance to Morgana. Were it not for their belief in Gwaine's vision, neither of them would have even thought twice about the young woman's identity. When she spoke, there wasn't a hint of the insanity that had plagued Arthur's sister.

Her voice carried through the roar of the crowd, and she held up her hand to ask them for silence. What the two men saw and heard, bore a closer resemblance to Uther, than to Morgana. "The unbelievers amongst you sought to hinder our message. They took up arms in an attempt to suppress the truth...but, they failed and were vanquished. A reminder to all, that Origin cannot be extinguished. It will flourish throughout this world and countless others."*

Arthur's eyes remained on the woman. His gaze unreadable, even to Merlin.

"The believers amongst you have been richly rewarded with truth...with Origin. It is now up to you, to help others see, as you have seen..." Adria stated, lifting her voice in challenge or promise. She continued, "...to spread the message by joining the armies of the Ori."*

"What is it?" Merlin asked his friend. The sound of the cheering villagers kept his words from being overheard by the others.

"Before you came to Camelot, I recall my father working with myself and Morgana on how to address the people. That..." He pointed up to the balcony. "...was Morgana. The way she held herself, the confidence... _That_  was the girl I grew up with, before..." Arthur turned aside and closed his eyes, unable to look anymore.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin stilled his mind, and pushed the cacophony to the background. He focused his gaze on Adria. All he had needed was Arthur's confirmation, and he knew what he had to do. His eyes flashed and he mentally whispered her name, along with a message. "Morgana. Aithusa needs your help."

He was rewarded when he saw her countenance falter. She stepped back and glanced at the Prior next to her. She spoke quietly to him, and Merlin saw the Prior nod in acknowledgement, but the warlock could see the hint of confusion in the man's face. Like a true follower, however, the Prior did not question his leader. Adria looked back over the crowd. Her eyes caught Merlin's for a brief second, before she turned and left through the door.

A tiny smirk touched the corner of Merlin's mouth. She had heard him. He could feel her heading toward an alleyway, behind the building. Placing his hand on Arthur's shoulder, he nodded and started to move off in that direction.

As fate would have it, Merlin had barely taken a step away when the transporter beam engulfed him. He felt his heart clench as his hope of gaining Morgana's help slipped away, just like the ground beneath him.

Arthur was there the instant the beam faded, catching Merlin easily, before any of the others had even noticed that something was wrong.

Watching from the windows of Odyssey's bridge, they all stood in awe, as some sort of energy wave engulfed the entire planet. Merlin felt his breath knocked out of him and his head began to spin. He could hear the others speaking in the background; something about a weapon of massive destruction that originated on Dakara, the homeworld of the Free Jaffa.

Carter was heading a team that was being sent back down to the planet. Merlin wanted to go, but his lack of qualifications for the SGC Hazmat protocol left him and Arthur on the ship, while SG-1 went back down to the planet.

The report that came back tore Merlin's heart. The flow of life was always something he felt. It was an unconscious hum...and suddenly...the energy below them on the planet had seemed to disappear. Now, he knew why.

The wave had disintegrated every living tissue in its wake. Even the Prior, who had still been on the balcony, was reduced to nothing more than a pile of brown cloth on the stone floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Reference to chapter 31
> 
> * borrowed from the SG-1 transcript from 10x07 "Counterstrike" stargate-sg1-solutions
> 
> Thanks for reading, Please take a moment to review and let me know if you're enjoying the story! Next chapter will have some fun!


	4. Chapter 4

A low whistle of appreciation escaped Gwaine's lips. He held up the forged metal and admired the craftsmanship. The golden runes on the flats of the blade appeared authentic. The balance was amazing, but having held Arthur's blade before, Gwaine could feel the slight difference in weight.

It had taken Leon over a week to track down the craftsman he felt was good enough for the job, and a few more days for the man to complete it. Aside from the near-perfect appearance, Leon had managed to convince Heimdall to create a synthetic variation of the radioactive element within the real sword.

The Asgard would have raised an eyebrow, if she had one. She explained that the product would only seem similar under initial scans, but more thorough scrutiny would reveal the flaws. Neither the Asgard nor the Tau'ri had been able to overcome the difficulties in replicating the power of the real sword.

Leon had thanked her immensely. They didn't need it to actually work. They simply needed it to fool Ba'al long enough to rescue Gwaine's sister. The ancient knight was tired of running. To save Laney and have a chance at peace, he and Gwaine had devised a plan to give Ba'al at least part of what he wanted. It would have been easier if Ba'al hadn't stolen the data from the SGC, but that was a moot point now.

"I think this will work!" Gwaine ginned conspiratorially.

Leon pursed his lips and nodded, "I believe it will. Now, we just have to hope he actually has Elaine nearby, when we go to meet him."

"You think he's going to try and double-cross us?"

The two men studied each other for a moment, before uttering simultaneous agreement. Leon shrugged and shook his head. "Of course, he will. I wouldn't expect anything less."

Passing the craftsman a generous amount of credits, Leon wrapped the sword up, and offered his thanks. Just as he and Gwaine turned to leave, a young man, the craftsman's apprentice, came running into the smithy.

"Dakara has been destroyed!" He said to his master, barely sparing a glance at Leon and Gwaine.

"What do you mean?" Gwaine demanded, grabbing the young man by the shoulder and turning the lad toward him.

"It's all over the subspace chatter." He spouted, as if they should have known what he was talking about. "Yesterday, the Jaffa tried to use one of the Ancient Weapons on a planet taken over by the Ori. It killed everyone! Then, the Ori retaliated; flew their ship over and they destroyed the entire planet of Dakara!"

The knights shared a look of desperation. Two planets in less than two days. One from their supposed allies, and the other from the Ori. "We need to find my sister now and get home."

Nodding in agreement, Leon felt a serious measure of concern. He didn't know many of the Jaffa people, but over the centuries, he had witnessed the hell they had gone through under the rule of the System Lords. Ba'al was the only one left, and he had managed to dodge every attempt at capture or death. Now, with the main base of the Free Jaffa destroyed, those remaining would be easy prey for the last of the Goa'uld Lords.

Tucking the sword under his arm, he headed out toward the spaceport where his ship was docked. Gwaine was right. They needed to find Laney, and regroup with the others to continue their search for Aithusa. From what Merlin had said and his own intuition: the dragon, along with the elusive weapon that Moros had built, were the keys to defeating the Ori. He just wished he knew how all the pieces were supposed to fit.

Just a few years ago, he wouldn't have cared about any of this. He would have kept his head low and simply continued in survival mode. Between his renewed friendships, and the growing concern for a spitfire of a woman, his priorities had changed. There was more to his life than there had been in a long time. Inside, he was still a bit conflicted, having sworn to Laney that their relationship would be kept on a physical level...but, he couldn't seem to stop the emotions from creeping in...especially when he knew that it was his involvement that had put her in danger.

He replayed the recording of the ransom demands in his head. Once the phone had been recharged, the two men had seen that it wasn't just an audio message. Included with it, was a scandalous picture of Leon and Laney in the barn, as well as a few others from the previous months. It was clear that Ba'al, or one of his clones, had tracked Leon down, and had been following him in order to try and locate the sword.

Thankfully, there didn't appear to be any indication that Ba'al had ever followed him to the UK. Merlin had made certain that the security around the place was as tight as he could make it. For that, Leon was extremely grateful. It meant the boys were safe, at least. Laney's return to Colorado alone, at the same time that all the clones had been taken into custody, had given the power-hungry alien the opening he had needed.

Ba'al's demands were simple. He wanted Leon and the fabled weapon of King Arthur, in exchange for the woman's life. His message had made it clear, that if anyone aside from Leon or Gwaine showed up, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy them all.

Powering up the ship, Leon wondered if it had really been wise to have rushed off with just the two of them. Had he found the scene first, he wouldn't have even taken Gwaine. Although, if something happened, that would have meant that Laney would have been stuck in whatever predicament he found her, and unable to pilot the ship to get to Earth.

Forging the fake weapon had taken longer than Leon had anticipated. They now had one day to reach the rendezvous point, and hope that their half-baked plan worked. By silent concensus, the two men knew that if it came down to it, either would gladly give his life for the woman they both loved.

The ancient knight sat back and fingered the ring on the chain around his neck. Not since his wife, had he allowed himself to feel such a deep emotion for another woman. He realized with a start that he no longer cared about the agreed arrangement between himself and Laney.

The cold shoulder she had been giving him, was obviously an attempt to protect herself, according to Gwaine. He wasn't going to tolerate it, once she was safe again. They would rescue her, and Leon would make certain she knew exactly how he felt. What happened after that...he could only guess. She would either admit her own feelings, or that would be the end of their relations.

Reconnecting with Merlin had given Leon the hope and courage that, despite being cursed to never age a day, he could still find something to live for.

 

* * *

 

The sun was beating down on the sand dunes, causing him to shield his eyes against the glare. Gwaine pulled out the sunglasses, specially fitted with a small video transmitter, and slid them over his eyes. "You getting the feed?" He asked quietly. The sucking and whooshing sound of the Stargate closing behind him, left the entire area in a vacuum of silence.

"Roger that. Nice and clear." Leon's voice came back.

"What is it with these Stargates, huh?" Gwaine asked rhetorically. He made his way over to the DHD pedestal and punched in a sequence to open it again. He hoped he wouldn't have to use it, if everything went according to plan. "Everyone of them is either in the middle of a desert or in a forest. I mean...c'mon, why couldn't they have been placed closer to some tropical paradise with half-naked beauties? Always the same bloody thing."

"You have a girlfriend, Gwaine." The older knight reminded him.

"Yeah, and she'd be asking the same damn thing, if she was here." He rolled his shoulders and scanned the horizon. "I think once we get back, I'm gonna convince her to take a weekend and actually go someplace tropical. Nice white beach with some fruity drink in my hand and..."

"Any sign of Ba'al, yet?"

Gwaine made a childish sound of protest, annoyed that Leon had interrupted his daydreaming. "Not yet...oops, spoke too soon. Here he comes, now."

Leon watched as the video feed broadcasted the scene in front of his friend. He zoomed in on the people walking toward Gwaine. Not surprisingly, Laney wasn't to be seen. Scanning the area, he found no other humanoid life forms. He spoke quietly into the com that was linked to Gwaine's earpiece. "She's nowhere in range."

"Ba'al!" Gwaine called out in a happy voice. "General O'Neill sends his regards."

"Does he, now?" Ba'al's voice sounded plain and human, without the deep metallic base of the Goa'uld. Any other System Lord would have never let their host body's voice be heard, as it would have taken away from their supposed God-hood.

"Well, no. Not really." Gwaine smirked, "Hell, he probably has no idea I'm even here. So...do you have my sister?"

"I do." The alien returned coldly. "Do you have my sword?"

"Your sword?" Gwaine's eyebrows went up.

"Soon enough, it will be." Ba'al smiled. He was too confident for Gwaine's liking. "Where is it?"

He pointed to his back. "Got it right here. Where's 'Lane?"

"She will be released to you once I am certain the sword is authentic."

"I want proof she's alive, and well, first...or, I turn my ass around and walk right back through this Stargate."

Ba'al grinned, "...And you would just leave her? Seems like such a waste, to come all this way for nothing, then."

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Gwaine scowled at the alien for a moment, before backing a few steps toward the open wormhole.

"Very well." Ba'al rolled his eyes out of boredom, and pointed the end of a handheld device at the ground in between them. A holographic display appeared of Gwaine's sister, sitting with her knees tucked under her chin in a bare room.

 _"That's a pretty standard prison cell for a Ha'tak. The device he's using doesn't have much range. So...I'm guessing that his ship is in orbit nearby. I'm running scans for any signs of distortion that might indicate a cloaked ship now."_  Leon stated quietly through the earbud.

"Is there a problem, Major Dallon...or should I call you Sir Gwaine?" The Goa'uld said haughtily, as if the knowledge was some great secret he had discovered.

Gwaine grunted his acknowledgement and then sighed heavily. "Alright. If you don't give her to me, after I give you the sword..."

"Why, I'm a man of my word! Just ask General O'Neill." Ba'al was smiling again.

As much as Gwaine was remiss to admit it, out of all the System Lords he'd dealt with, or read about the SGC dealing with, Ba'al was one of the most trustworthy...at least, on the surface. He was also one of the most conniving, and great at finding loopholes in his own rules.

Reluctantly, Gwaine pulled a strap over his head. Attached to it, wrapped in thick canvas, was the object of Ba'al's desire. He tossed it on the ground, a few feet away from him.

One of the Jaffa stepped forward to retrieve it. Ba'al never took his eyes off of Gwaine, and Gwaine made certain not to break the stare. Unwrapping the weapon, another Jaffa moved closer and waved a scanner over the blade. He nodded at Ba'al.

_"So far, so good. I think I have a good idea of where the ship is. If I can just get a better reading on the disturbance in the space debris, I will have a pretty good guess of the ship's actual position to be able to beam over. Just keep him busy."_

"So, Ba'al...you have it. I want my sister back." Gwaine began tapping his finger on his assault rifle. There was still a chance that the Goa'uld would be generous and return Laney, but the evil gleam in Ba'al's eye told the knight all he needed to know.

"Ah, but this is only part of what I wanted. I believe I also requested the presence of Leon. He is the one who has carried this sword and hidden it from me for centuries."

"Yeah, well...consider this a compromise." Dark brown eyes narrowed, and his shoulders began to tense up. "You know he wouldn't have given the sword willingly."

"Not even for the woman he loves?"

"Please! He was shagging my sister, not planning on marrying her." He heard a loud exhale from the earpiece. It took all his concentration to not roll his eyes. "Which was more important to ya? I got you the weapon, and he's probably going to kill me when he finds out. I just want to get my sister back to her kids!" The concern on his face was genuine, even if his words were only half-true.

_"Got it! I'm working on finding a way to beam over there. Keep stalling!"_

"Well, I'm sure once he finds out what I've done, he'll probably come and try to get it back. I can even call him for you. If you want me to." Gwaine offered, still hoping to have the situation work out, without him ending up in a worse position than he already was. Ba'al had at least six guards who he could see. There very well could have been more hidden beyond some of the dunes, but at least with the Gate open behind him, Gwaine knew there wouldn't be anymore coming in from behind him.

"That is true. He may come, however..." Ba'al looked at him thoughtfully.

Gwaine felt a creepy, crawly sensation under the System Lord's scrutiny. He could feel it in his bones, that sixth sense he had drowned in a bottle for years, after ending up in Camelot. Merlin's own sense was always a step ahead of his own, anyway. So, he had never felt any need to rely on it. At least, not until he had returned home.

Once he and Merlin had discovered their relation, the warlock had begun giving him tips on how to tap into that part of himself. There wasn't much difference, and he certainly didn't have the magical aspect of his living ancestor, but it was good to know how to listen to his inner voice.

"I think the wiser course of action...for myself, anyway..." Ba'al stated casually. "...Would be to keep both you and your sister, until he comes."

"Eh...naw. I don't think so."

"I don't believe you have much choice in the matter." Touching a gem on his wristband, the Goa'uld smirked as the Gate suddenly closed.

"Frack." He'd forgotten that Ba'al was said to have more working knowledge of the Gate, than any other Goa'uld the SGC had come across. He'd obviously rigged this one to link with a remote control on his wrist.

Gwaine's eyes scanned over the Jaffa. Their weapons were all pointing at him and he knew his time was up. Slowly backing towards the Gate, he turned and ran up the stairs, diving through to the other side of the inactive metal circle, just as the first blast from one of the weapons, the zat'nik'tels...or more commonly referred to as 'zat guns'...were fired. Gwaine knew one direct hit would knock him out.

Ba'al obviously meant to take him alive, or at least without a giant hole blasted in his chest, from the more commonly used staff weapons of the Jaffa.

He heard Ba'al yelling in the altered voice of the Goa'uld, and then the sound of a Ring transport device. Either Ba'al had left with the sword, or he'd summoned more of his Jaffa down...or both. Any which way, Gwaine was in for a fight. "Leon! Time's up!"

_"Got the exact coordinates when the Rings were activated. Beaming there now, keep your head down."_

"Easy for you to say. Why am I the one down here, when you're the immortal?"

" _...Because you don't know my ship like I do."_ Leon's smile could be heard in his voice.

"Whatever. Just hurry up! Get my sister. Then, get me the frack out of here!"

 

* * *

 

Holding her breath, she steadied herself for whatever was coming. Laney knew that if she ever got home, she was going to kill her brother for getting her involved in all this. There was no true sense of time, but it felt like weeks since the damned real estate agent/alien guy had abducted her. She was scared. Never having faced imprisonment before...the one time she had spent the night in a jail cell after being caught joyriding in her ex-boyfriend's stolen car didn't count... and not understanding why, her mind had plenty of time to fantasize about all the things that could happen. Living in a constant state of anxiety was not something she was trained for.

Her only salvation was a small pocket knife, which had gone unnoticed in her pocket, when she was abducted. Her only clear thought was to see her boys again. She knew they had to be worried sick. Making up her mind to do something, Laney began searching her cell.

Ba'al...oh, how she would love to use the knife to cut his ' ' off...hadn't mistreated her. She had been given food and drink, and her cell was clean, but she had no idea what he wanted from her. Her own mind was becoming her worst enemy during her capture, and she finally had enough. She was either going to break, or break out. With the faces of her family burned into the backs of her eyes, she went for the latter choice.

Using the edge of the blade, she pried off a concealment panel along the floor, next to the door. Laney stared at the crystals and conduit inside, unable to make heads nor tails of it. They just looked like colorful crystals stuck in a tray. They actually reminded her of a game, where you had to find the right order to get the door open for the next level.

She was contemplating just destroying everything inside it. However, not being the least bit familiar with spaceships, she didn't want to take the chance that messing it up would open some hidden door, and suck her out into space. When she heard running feet outside her cell, she tucked the knife back into her pocket and picked up the metal panel.

Standing off to the side of the door, Laney wasn't sure if ten minutes or ten seconds had passed, before it finally opened. When it did, she was ready.

With all her strength, she swung the metal into the face of the man entering. She was rewarded with a thud and an instant groan of pain. Swiftly kicking her knee up into his groin, the man curled over and teetered back a step.

Bolting out of the door, Laney had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do next. She cried out in alarm, as her arm was grabbed, and her flight was halted. Swinging back around and ready to fight some more, she heard the man she had assaulted painfully whisper her name.

Finally looking at him, the panel dropped from her hands, and they shot to her mouth. "Oh, my god...Leon!"

He was half-hunched over, his free hand still covering the delicate area between his legs, but he was forcing a smile through his pain.

Her body quaked, and relief flooded through her. Straightening, he pulled her close. His strong arms wrapping tightly around her.

Pulling back, she saw a bit of blood trickling from his nose. It didn't look broken, but the guilt that she was the one responsible for his injuries began to override the initial excitement. "Leon, I'm soooo sorry! I didn't know it was you. Oh, frack...I..." Her tearful, rambled apology was cut short by his lips pressing hard against hers.

Suddenly, her past fear of emotions were cast away. Laney couldn't remember why she had been fighting so hard against her heart. It was something she had thought about frequently during her captivity; analyzing her reactions and how she had started treating Leon. None of it seemed to matter, anymore.

He was there...now...to save her. Laney felt like she was melting...until her brother's voice, crackling with a bit of static via Leon's radio, cut through their short-lived passion.

_"Really? Can't the two of you save it until we're out of here?"_

"Getting out of here sounds really nice." Laney whispered in agreement, meeting Leon's soft, blue eyes.

Leon couldn't help but smirk. He stepped back and held his hand out with a flourish. "M'Lady. What would you say to accompanying a couple of washed-up knights, who are here to rescue you?"

Giggling at the irony, she nodded her head. "Sure...just tell me where they are."

 _"Shit...I think I'm..."_ The sound of an electronic blast and a loud thud, cut off Gwaine's voice.

"Gwaine?" Leon asked, hoping for a response. "Gwaine!"

Laney's brown eyes widened in fear. She froze, unwilling to accept what she had just heard. "Leon...is he...?"

"I don't know." The tall knight pulled a remote scanner out of his pocket. "Gwaine's transponder is still active. It's moving. Damnit! Ba'al has brought him onto the ship. Forgive me, I need to get you out of here."

"Wait, what? No...you can't just leave him here!"

"I'm not...but, you need to be somewhere I know you'll be safe." Kissing her quickly, he shoved the device into her hand and stepped back. Before she could argue, he pressed a sequence of buttons on his wristband.

Blinking against the bright light that engulfed her, Laney suddenly found herself alone on the bridge of Leon's ship.

She paced around, twisting her hands. She tried to sit down in the chair. Looking at her fingertips, she realized her nails were in rough shape, and there wasn't enough left to chew on. Her eyes moved over the various controls on the main console, but as with the crystals, they made no sense to her.

While the surroundings of the ship were more comfortable than the cell she had been kept, her only trips there had been for a bit of privacy with Leon. He had joked once about taking her away for a while, and teaching her how to fly it. With everything else going on in her life, she had brushed it off. Now, Laney was regretting that decision, and wished that she at least had a clue on how to communicate with someone.


	5. Chapter 5

Squawking and flapping overhead made Percival shake his own head. After nearly a year, he had grown used to the oddities in the Torchwood Hub, even if he still didn't quite understand most of them. The pterodactyl flying around near the top of the fifty foot ceiling, was only one of them.

When he had first come to Torchwood, he had thought it was a dragon of some kind. It had taken weeks of the others explaining to him what a dinosaur was, and how something that was supposed to have been extinct long before even his time, had ended up as a resident 'pet' for the Torchwood team.

The 'Hub', as it was fondly known, sat below Roald Dahl Plass in the city of Cardiff. The main floor of the Hub was actually a few stories below ground level. Percival had chuckled when he had discovered that there seemed to be a modern, widespread idea of housing secret government bases in man-made caves underground. Gwaine worked in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, and Merlin had spoken of his work, also inside Snowdon Mountain in the north.

Down below the main floor were cells, near the sewer tunnels for Cardiff, where creatures called Weevils lived. They were odd humanoid beasts that sometimes escaped through the Rift in space-time, and ran amok in Cardiff. Part of Torchwood's job was to keep an eye on these creatures, and capture them if they started to become a nuisance. Percival figured there was more to the story, but he had other things to be concerned with. So, he just followed Jack's orders where they were concerned.

He'd learned how to handle a computer fairly well, with Mickey's help. He was fairly proficient in handling a vehicle when the need arose, though his driving skills were still very basic. The guns and weapons...he'd been able to learn easily. Being similar to the crossbows he'd used in his previous life in Camelot, it was simple transition...once he got used to the sound of the modern firearms.

Learning how to handle various aspects of Leon's ship, had added another element that the knight never expected to learn in his previous life. Under his friend's tutelage, like with the land-bound vehicles of Earth, he was able to pilot it, if needed.

'Previous life,' he thought with a chuckle. It wasn't as if he was like Mickey, and had actually lived and died in some historic time. However, his life in Camelot and his current life now were so completely different. It almost seemed like a dream at times.

"Thinking about Camelot?" A soft voice asked.

Percival's eyes shifted from the computer screen to the ghost of a man standing next to it. He smiled at Lancelot and nodded. He'd become increasingly used to his friend's sudden appearances.

"You know, there is nothing to stop you from being happy here, my friend. Nothing but yourself, it would appear."

"I am happy." The large knight said with a smile. "I have my friends here."

"What about a girl?"

He snorted quietly. "You know, I have never been with a woman. All the times I would go with Gwaine to a brothel...I'd just sit and watch him make a fool of himself."

Soft laughter floated down from the catwalk outside the office of Jack Harkness. Ianto and Jack stood up there, flirting. Percival cast a glance in their direction, before turning back to the computer screen.

"I see." The Ascended knight whispered, following his friend's gaze. "This world is quite different from the one you left, maybe you should take advantage of it."

"It's not that." Shifting uncomfortably, the large man shook his head.

Lancelot watched his friend for a moment. Even when he had first found Percival, after his family was killed, Percival had never opened up much about himself or his past. Changing the subject, Lancelot asked, "Have you made any progress in your search?"

Percival tapped on the keys in front of him and shook his head. "No. Jack allowed me to access some of his data from the future. Yet, even there I can't seem to find the references I need."

"Perhaps,the future is not where you should be looking."

Percival's eyes narrowed in confusion. "If not the future, then...the past?"

"The answer may be hidden in plain sight...much like the druids used to be around Camelot."

"The only way to tell a druid, was the mark..." He stated thoughtfully. Percival knew this from his childhood. Growing up near the borders of Cenred's kingdom and Camelot, he had seen many druids had flee from the latter during the years of after the Great Purge. There was one clan in particular that he knew rather well. His mother and others in his village traded with the druids, and Percival had become close to one youth, close to his own age.

The large knight had never found out if his friend was a boy or a girl. Caron, a name that simply meant 'to love,' and Percival had loved his friend. At times, Caron was very much a male; short hair and a square face, with a bit of hair on his upper lip. Then, at others, his friend seemed much more feminine, her voice never deepening. Neither Caron, nor anyone in the druid tribe, ever gave a hint to the teen's gender. Percival didn't care. He knew the soul that was inside. At fifteen-years-old, he had finally worked up the nerve to proclaim his feelings for Caron.

They were walking back to town, after having spent the day practicing their tracking skills, talking and joking about a variety of things. He was just about to confess, when dark smoke on the horizon put a damper on their jovial mood.

Cenred's men had attacked the town.

Word had come that the dragon, who King Uther had kept prisoner for decades, had escaped, and was raining terror down on the great city. It seemed as though one of Cenred's spies had overheard the name of Percival's hometown, Enged, as a possible hiding place for the last Dragon Lord. Cenred had been determined to find, and either destroy or capture the Dragon Lord first; leaving Uther and Camelot to be decimated by the beast.

Caron had turned to run back to the druid encampment to tell his people, while Percival ran into the town. The few people still alive in the village told the tale of horror. Young men were conscripted into service. Women had been raped or taken as slaves. Percival's entire family had been killed, except his younger brother, who he assumed was now fodder for King Cenred's army.

He had spun around and raced out of town, tears blurring his vision, as he headed toward the only person he had left. He had tripped during his flight, just off of a road that ran between the kingdoms. On his knees, and he had let his grief overcome him. That was how Lancelot had found him.

The older man had listened to the teen, and offered comfort in his own story, very similar to Percival's. He promised to help Percival find his friend, and together they searched through the forest. Sadly, however, they had been unable to find the druid encampment.

He never saw, nor heard from Caron again. Part of him blamed his friend, even though he knew deep down, that it had probably been the elders of the tribe who had made the decision to move on, before they found themselves caught in the ongoing war between Uther and Cenred.

The next few years were spent at Lancelot's side, for the most part. The older man, determined to someday become a knight, would go off occasionally to try and win some coins from competitions as a sell-sword, but they always managed to come back together.

Percival's heart had skipped a beat, when he saw a dove with a note on its leg, waiting on a tree branch ahead of them. He knew that the druids had ways of speaking with animals, and deep down, he prayed that it was Caron searching for him.

He kept his confusion to himself, when he found that the note contained a plea for help for Camelot, and did not come from a druid. Instead, it was from the manservant of the prince, and was addressed to Lancelot.

His questions were pushed to the background when he was told that it was Cenred's men, under the banner of Lady Morgana, who they were fighting. The chance at revenge against the men who had slain his family, and the possibility of perhaps finding his brother, had him pledging his allegiance to Arthur.

If his brother had been among the immortal men, he never found out. During the heat of battle, every enemy warrior suddenly exploded into dust, leaving the knights of Camelot confused, but relieved.

He looked up to where Lancelot had been standing, and wasn't surprised to find his friend had already vanished. The message had been delivered.

It wasn't until after Elyan had been possessed, and Arthur had made a proclamation of peace with the druids, that Caron had finally made contact with him.

In the years before Morgana had made her presence known again, Percival would find himself in the woods occasionally, walking with his old friend. Caron had become a seer for the tribe, and had taken a vow of celibacy. The knight had never found out, even then, if his friend was a man or a woman. Still...in his love for his friend, he had silently proclaimed that for as long as Caron was alive, he would never love another.

Then, Morgana had returned, and the peace that had been obtained was gone. Camelot was at war. He'd gone to see Caron one night, and had told his friend about changes in Camelot, including the former druid boy, Mordred. He explained how Mordred had been made a knight, and then how he had nearly died because of the Disir.

Caron's face had turned pale.  _"It has begun. I'm so sorry, my friend. I wish you the best."_  The seer walked off into the shadows and disappeared.

Shaking the tension out of his arms, Percival took a deep breath and pushed his emotions back. Caron had been gone for nearly fifteen hundred years. That night was the last time Percival had seen his friend.

Focusing back on the computer to distract himself, he brought up a list of the planets that he'd been given that had possible correlation to their search. He looked again at the flagged marks on the screen, and realization dawned across his face.

"Oy, Mickey!" The tall knight called across the room. "Can you come help me with something?"

"Sure." The other man had been chatting with Gwen Cooper about a recent Weevil outbreak. He made his way across the Hub to Percival's station. "What's up?"

"I need to pull up a picture of a triskelion, and I want to place it over these three stars."

 

* * *

 

Loud music poured out of the speakers, assaulting Arthur's ears. He did his best to ignore it, as he held the sandbag steady for his friend.

"You know, killing this punching bag isn't going to help." He said with a roll of his eyes, and felt himself shift from a jarring blow.

"Maybe not, but it gives me something to do while I think."

Arthur was about to suggest a more productive release of energy, when Merlin decided to continue the rant he'd been on since they had arrived back at the manor.

"Two planets  _destroyed,_ and for what? A fracking ship!" He continued pounding his fists agains the bag. "That the Ori still have control over. Millions of people, Arthur... _millions_...are dead! I could stop this! I know it! But, no! First, the Jaffa had to use a weapon they had no business using. Just when I think I had gotten through to her. She knew I was there, Arthur. She heard me!"

"I know! I was there, Merlin. I saw it, too."

"Then...and then, the stupid idiots decide to try and salvage the ship. I'm glad Adria is still alive. It means that there is still hope, but because of it, Dakara was destroyed."

After the Ancient weapon had been used, and the members of SG-1 were beamed off the planet's surface in the nick of time, it had been discovered that the Ori ship that remained, was unmanned. Under orders, SG-1...without Merlin and Arthur...had attempted to claim the ship. Unfortunately, three Ha'tak ships arrived, and Odyssey was forced to pull back out of range.

Radio contact was lost with Mitchell and the others, when the shields of the Ori vessel suddenly came back online.

The ship had lifted off the ground and entered hyperspace on a course directly for the Free Jaffa homeworld. By the time the Odyssey had reached the planet, things had gone from bad to worse. The Jaffa were preparing to fire the Ancient weapon at the Ori ship, knowing full well, they would be sacrificing their own people on Dakara in the process.

They had watched helplessly, as the Ancient weapon was activated, and then another burst of energy was sent from the Ori ship. Between the two weapons, Dakara...and all the life on the planet...had been destroyed.

Odyssey had managed to extract SG-1 and jump into hyperspace, just milliseconds before the wavefront from the Ancient weapon engulfed the Ori ship.

On the return trip to Earth, Merlin had listened as Jackson and the others described the events that had transpired on the ship. Protected by a personal shield, Adria had survived the wave from the Ancient weapon. She had been the one controlling the ship, as Dakara was destroyed. She had proclaimed that the bulk of the Ori fleet would arrive soon, and in less than a year they would control the entire Milky Way.

Vala had sat quietly, guilt evident on her face. As Adria's birth mother, she took much of the blame on herself, despite the assurances of the others that there was no way she could be held responsible for a child who had been genetically grown to full adulthood in under a few months.

Merlin had felt a measure of relief that Adria was still alive, but the possibility of being able to find her and reach her again was slim. She was still his best chance at finding Aithusa, though he neglected to mention anything of the sort during the debriefing.

Jackson continued to fill in the story. Adria had proclaimed that while she planned to eventually convince her mother to accept the ways of Origin, the Ori also had a special plan for Jackson specifically. What that was...none of them could even begin to guess.

It was with a heavy heart, and the knowledge that five more planets had fallen to the Ori, that Arthur and Merlin were taken back home.

"We'll find her again, Merlin."

"Yeah...but, what if we're too late?"

The music from the stereo system cut out. Merlin's heavy breathing was suddenly the only sound in the home gym.

Arthur glanced toward the door and gave a friendly smile. "I'm going to go check on Guinevere." He said and patted Merlin on the shoulder as he passed.

Turning around and watching his friend, he saw Martha standing near the doorway. She spoke quietly to Arthur, before making her way over to her husband.

His black hair was dripping with sweat, and his shirt clung to his chest; every fiber drenched from his workout. She didn't need to ask if he was alright. She could see the emotions glistening in his eyes. "Percival and Mickey are here. They think they have some information on the location of Moros' Weapon."

"That's great." Merlin nodded his head, and began unwinding the boxing hand wraps. "...Lot of good that'll do us, without Leon's ship, though."

"Well, that's the other news I came down here to tell you." She reached out and took his hands, helping him out of the wraps. "I went out to the Crystal Cave this morning, and decided to try and contact them again."

"...And?" He finally had to ask, when she didn't elaborate right away.

"Leave it to a woman to finally answer a ringing phone."

He exhaled in relief. "Laney? She's alright, then? She's safe?"

Martha nodded, "Yes,and no. She's safe...but, it seems Gwaine got himself in a pickle, and now Leon is trying to save  _him_." Taking the wraps over next to a wall, she dropped them into a laundry hamper for cleaning.

Merlin chuckled. Somehow, her news of their friends, wasn't all that surprising. It may not have been the best news, but at least it was something. He grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby shelf.

"I told her, I would find Percival. He might be able to talk her through some of the ship's systems, in case she needs to try and get it back to Earth by herself."

"Hopefully, it won't come to that." His brow pinched with worry, not only for Laney attempting to fly the vessel solo, but what it would mean for Leon and Gwaine if their only means of escape was suddenly gone.

"Mmm. Hopefully, but if you all need to go and save 'Space Boy and Buckaroo Banzai'... Her words, not mine." Martha held up her hands innocently.

The bottle was at his lips, but thankfully he had yet to actually take a drink. She smiled at the look on her husband's face as he froze, processing the new nicknames.

"Not sure about the 'Space Boy'...but 'Buckaroo Banzai' is oddly fitting for Gwaine. Well, maybe not the brain surgeon part, or the bowtie."[1]

"Why don't you go get cleaned up? See what Percival and Mickey brought. Then, you boys head to out to your 'man-cave,'" she said, referring to the Crystal Cave with a twinkle in her eyes. "...and try to figure out how to get them home."

"Aw, I thought you liked me all sweaty." He teased.

Martha bit her lip, as her eyes moved over his body. "Well, yes, but usually it's from other activities."

 

* * *

 

Arthur had wanted to saddle up some horses for the ride to the cave, but in the interest of time...not to mention there were no proper stables near the Valley of Fallen Kings...the four men ended up taking two ATVs. They resembled beefed-up golfcarts, but were made specifically for traversing rugged terrain with tighter spaces, where a standard off-road vehicle couldn't go. It made the journey to the cave much quicker.

Percival and Mickey were contemplating different ways to determine where Leon's ship was. They had yet to use the Stargate in the Crystal Cave, as Merlin was still reluctant about letting anyone know of its existence. An outgoing wormhole might not have been detected...getting back was a different story. The Gate at the SGC was programmed to take precedence over all incoming travel. However, if they could come out at a Gate close enough to Leon's ship, they could beam aboard and fly home.

It was a sound plan, but thankfully, as Percival went to the controls to send a hail to Laney, another voice responded. Leon sounded tired as he informed Percival to sit tight. They were on their way home, but he asked if Martha could be standing by with some medical equipment. It seemed Gwaine did not come through the encounter with Ba'al unscathed.

 

* * *

 

The door slid open with a mechanical hiss, and Leon turned his head to see Laney coming through. Although, he had kissed her before sending her to the ship, he now began to question if it had been the right thing to do. It was impetuous, with no thought beyond his own turbulent emotions. The fact that she had responded could have been nothing more than gratitude and relief at being saved.

"How's your brother?" He asked, pretending to check various status gauges through his ship's control panel.

"He's resting, and the swelling in his face has gone down a bit." She sighed and moved up next to the console. "Listen, Leon, I..."

At the same time, he started to say, "Elaine, we need to talk." He smiled, and waved his hand in her direction. "You go first."

Twisting her hands, she began to pace. After a few short laps, she finally stopped and took a breath. "Thank you. I really don't know how else to say it. I don't think I've ever had anyone, other than my brother, who would come to my rescue. These last couple of years have been hell. From my ex leaving, to Gwaine coming back from the dark ages; Boyd dying, moving twice, god...you name it. It has been hell. Getting kidnapped by some crazed alien has just been icing on the fracking cake...And you. I didn't know what the frack to do when you told me about what happened to you guys. It scared the living shit out of me. In the barn that night...I don't know...I just lost it."

He initially had been watching her, but as she had begun listing off all the hardships, his eyes drifted to his hands, folded in his lap. She had needed something from him...a simple release of tension..and here he was, wanting to complicate it with emotions. Leon started to pull himself back in; ready to bury what he felt, back behind the wall he'd spent centuries erecting.

The ring he'd worn on the chain around his neck for so long, was in his pocket. His mind drifted to the memories attached to it. Initially, it had been his great-grandmother's...spoils of war...a gift from her Roman husband. After that, it had been passed from mother to son, to give to the woman he marries, until it came to him and he had given it to Bridget.

While Laney had been taking care of Gwaine, and finally taking a few moments to clean herself up, he'd taken it off the chain with the thought of giving it to her. Perhaps, not as a token of marriage, but as a gift of his growing feelings for her. He began to revisit that decision.

"...Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes, I am." He responded softly. "I'm sorry for causing you so much strife. I should have been more careful and not gotten involved. Ba'al would have never kidnapped you, if not for our relations."

"Oh, to hell with all that. To paraphrase something you told me once: something like this can make a person re-evaluate her life, ya know?" She was standing next to him, looking down at him in the chair.

He nodded and kept his gaze low, denying the rejection he felt he would see in her eyes. Her worn fingers grasped his chin and forced him to look up.

"You saved me Leon...and I don't just mean from that Ba'alogna alien freak." She sat down in Leon's lap and met his eyes. "You gave me hope - something I haven't had in a long time, Leon. A long time. These last couple weeks, I've had more than enough time to think, and I prayed to God thatI hadn't fracking blown it. I was scared you wouldn't come because I had been such a bitch...but, you did. Like a hero out of a fracking romance novel, you came for me."

Leon felt a stirring in his heart as he listened to her words, and watched her deep brown eyes. She leaned in closer and gave him a light kiss. He pulled back. His voice came out as a choked whisper. "What about our agreement?"

"Frack the fracking agreement. I don't want to be the one you save, and then watch you ride off into the sunset on another adventure. I want to be the one you come back for...who you come home to."

He hadn't even realized when the tears had started falling from his eyes. "I'm not going to age." He said, in a last ditch effort to dissuade her. Leon didn't know why he was suddenly fighting against his feelings, except that he wanted to be certain she knew the score.

"I don't care, because I'm pretty sure I've fallen in love with you, already knowing that." She waited, and watched his blue eyes absorbing her words. A hint of a smile began to form at the corner of his mouth. "...And besides, how could I pass up the opportunity to be the old, cougar granny, pushed around in her wheelchair by some hot, young stud."

Leon burst out laughing. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her into a deep kiss.

"One request," she said, leaning back and giving him a serious look. "One of these days, I really want to see you in the full, shining armor get up."


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin had to laugh to himself at the situation. He'd never imagined he'd once again be standing in this meadow, watching a gigantic form descend from the air. Long ago, it had been Kilgharrah. This time, it was Leon's ship.

The three people on board could have beamed down easily enough, but Leon wanted to perform some maintenance on the vessel's exterior that couldn't be completed in the cold of space.

It had taken almost three days for the ship to return to Earth. Although Gwaine was stable, a severely broken arm and rib fractures made Leon reluctant to move his friend without medical assistance.

Martha was ready and waiting the moment the door to the ship opened. Gwaine was awake and coherent; griping about being handled with kid gloves, as she started to look him over. Finally relenting to his pleas to get off the ship, she instructed Percival to assist him to a waiting SUV. "I don't know why you wouldn't just let Leon beam you to the SGC. Carolyn has access to more than I do for this type of trauma."

"A couple of problems with that idea." He said, drawing shallow breaths against his obviously pained ribcage. "I managed to check my messages when we got in range...and I think she'd be more liable to kill me than heal me, at the moment."

"...And the other problem?"

He sighed as melodramatically as he was able to. "I'm probably considered AWOL. So, facing an angry girlfriend, or her father - who happens to be one of my bosses... I'm not really feeling up to it, especially, when I could be facing jail time for it."

Merlin shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can make some phone calls to Landry and Woolsey; tell them you were acting under my orders or something. The stuff with Carolyn, however, you're on your own for. Please tell me, other than saving your sister, that you managed to get something resembling recon intel that I can give them to help smooth it over?"

Gwaine grinned, and then grimaced as he was put into the backseat. "Oh, yeah. Trust me, I earned this broken arm."

"...And the other injuries?"

"Oh, please. You say that like you assumed I'd be able to shut my mouth once in a while."

 

* * *

 

She was pacing in her private chambers. If even one of the Priors had been nearby, she would never have indulged in such behavior. Her hands were wringing in a way that seemed very much outside of herself.

She had found herself completely irate that the Jaffa would dare try to use such a weapon against the Followers of Origin. Yet, there was something else niggling in the back of her mind. Her mother had been there, along with Daniel Jackson, which meant the rest of SG-1, as well.

The voice...she knew the voice that had entered her mind, while she stood addressing the crowd. A long forgotten memory had been stirred from the depths of her cellular structure. It was not that of any of the members of SG-1, but instinctively she knew that whoever the voice belonged to, had been with them.

She had gone back to the planet after leaving Dakara, even though she knew there was no one left alive, and searched through the remnants of clothing left from the people who had lived there.

There was nothing; absolutely no sign of who it might have been.

One of the Priors from another ship had approached her shortly afterwards, and conveyed some new found information of a planet that was discovered. It possibly held the one thing that could either destroy them, or in her hands, could be used to destroy the Ancients. Thus, paving the way for the Ori to take complete control of the Milky Way Galaxy.

She had ordered her followers to head there, straight away. Unfortunately, they were not the only ones to arrive at the planet, seeking the fabled weapon. Attempts had been made by both parties to get beyond the defenses set up to protect the location on the planet, but to no avail.

Adria stopped her pacing, finally reaching a decision. 'Perhaps,' she thought. 'It is time to bring Daniel Jackson into the equation.' As the most knowledgeable member of SG-1, he was the perfect answer to her problem. Not only might he be able to get her to the weapon, but if that other voice...the one that had invaded her mind...was with them, the Orici felt she could kill three birds with one stone.

Daniel would lead them to the weapon, and then fulfill his place in the plans of the Ori. As well, Adria's own curiosity could be sated concerning the owner of the voice. Quieting her mind, she sent a brief message to the one person in the galaxy who still meant something to her.

Vala Mal Doran, her mother, received a dream that night, guiding her to the answer of finding the planet.

 

* * *

 

Battered and bruised, but walking upright with as much confidence as he could muster, Gwaine made his way into the kitchen. His left arm was in a sling, and the binding around his ribs made his movements a bit awkward. His right eye was finally able to open fully, though it still hurt when he blinked. A chance look in a mirror earlier, had shown him just how badly Ba'al had tortured him.

He accepted it all in stride. The physical torment had been nothing compared to the mental shredding that Morgana had done to him. Plus, he'd managed to acquire a key tidbit of information from a slip of the Goa'uld's tongue.

His arm had been severely broken in two places. It took both Merlin and Martha working together to straighten it and reset the bones. Amidst protests that it would heal on its own, Merlin had added a bit of magic to help speed Gwaine's recovery.

He found a coffee cup sitting on the counter waiting for him, and was thankful that he wouldn't have to reach up to get it out of the cupboards. Pouring the hot liquid into the cup, he glanced out the window to the garden patio. Merlin was sitting alone, reading his tablet. There was no sign of anyone else around.

Gwaine recalled overhearing that Arthur, Gwen, and Martha were heading to town for a check-up and ultrasound. Percival and Mickey were working on researching the theory behind the triskelion in the stars. Snorting into his cup, Gwaine mused how it was like something out of one of those far-fetched conspiracy shows. Then, he paused for a moment and realized that most of the stuff from his life could make an entire series.

Leon was off working on his ship and, as far as Gwaine knew, had taken Toby with him. Greg had attempted to run away, after Laney had sat the boys down to talk with them about the changes between her and Leon.

She had told them that Leon had helped rescue her, and that the two of them were dating. Laney didn't get much of a chance to say anything more before her middle child had a complete meltdown. Toby was all for the idea. Randy was still a bit confused about the situation, especially where his real dad was concerned. His simple question - asking if Leon was going to be their new dad - had torn Greg apart.

After a frantic search, they had found him in the middle of the night, about three miles down the road with his suitcase in hand. He was determined to get to the airport and go back home to find his dad. With Martha's help, a family therapist had been found in the nearby town, and Laney had decided it would be best to just have some time alone with her two youngest sons to see if it would help.

Gwaine worried about his sister. She appeared to be holding up well after her imprisonment, but he wasn't sure if it was just another wall she was putting up. Greg needed his mom's strength right now, and Gwaine hoped whatever arrangement she and Leon had come to would give her the strength to deal with it all.

Taking his cup, he made his way outside and sat down near his friend. "Taking the day off?"

Merlin smiled and nodded, "Yeah. I promised Martha I would take it easy...especially, after healing you. I'd like to go help Leon with his ship, but..."

"Naw," Gwaine cut in. "He needs time to get to know the boys better."

Recalling his conversation with Toby, Merlin couldn't agree more. "How's the arm feeling?"

"Better! At the rate it's healing, I should be good to go soon."

"Go where?"

"...Wherever the hell Percival and Mickey decide that clue of their's leads. I kind of wonder if he got a bit of help of the ethereal kind, if you know what I mean." Gwaine hinted, "We haven't seen him around much, at all."

"No, we haven't." Merlin agreed. He took a sip out of his own cup, which had gone cold from sitting mostly untouched on a nearby table. "Have you spoken with Carolyn, yet?"

Gwaine shifted uneasily. He had finally gathered the courage to make the phone call, and the response was pretty much what he had been expecting. "She was pissed as hell. Not only did I make her worry, I also left her car at the house and had her keys still in my pocket."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. I like her. Hell, I think I more than like her, but everything's so up in the air."

"It's hard when you're so far apart. If it's meant to be, it'll happen." The older man assured him.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I should probably just give her some time to cool off. Don't suppose you've talked to the higher ups for me?"

"Was I supposed to?" Merlin asked, the look on his face was filled with concern.

"Shit."

"I'm joking! Of course, I did. Everything on that end is taken care of, including Woolsey. You're welcome, by the way."

Gwaine snickered, "Thanks. I owe ya one."

"Oh, you owe me a lot more than just one. So, tell me, what  _did_  you find out from Ba'al?"

"Well, I was on the planet, while Leon was over on Ba'al's ship..." He began to recount his adventure of playing hide-and-seek in the sand dunes from Ba'al's men. He'd heard, through Leon's open com, when his sister had been found, and he recalled making some snarky comment. After that, he had been cornered, and a single shot from a zat had rendered him unconscious.

"When I first came to, I don't think Ba'al realized it. He was talking to another Ba'al about the sword. I think they had realized it was a phoney. He'd managed to find a Gate address, probably the same one we're all looking for. I heard him say something about the various protections on the planet not allowing for anyone to beam down or land close to the area...almost as if he'd already tried it. They would have to take the Gate, since the sword wouldn't get them through like he thought."

"So, something about the sword is the key to getting on the planet?" Merlin questioned, turning the information over in his mind.

Gwaine shrugged and cringed from the movement. "...Could be." He took a breath and steeled himself. While he had told the others that what Ba'al had done was nothing, he realized just saying it was one thing...going into detail was proving to be a bit more difficult. "I was on some sort of metal bar. My hands were chained out to the sides, like some alien version of the stocks. He...uh...When he noticed I was awake he started questioning me about the sword and Leon. 'Told him, I didn't know anything.

"A few slaps across the face with a baton; some weird taser thing to the body...Ba'al had plenty of toys at his disposal. It was when he heard that my sister was no longer in her cell that he decided to quit playing games. He had one of his Jaffa...'an expert in torture'..." Gwaine hooked his fingers in the air. "...have fun with me. I don't really remember much except the pain, until the door opened and Leon shot the guy. By that time, the damage had been done, ya know?"

Merlin nodded quietly. He hated seeing Gwaine in distress, especially for what seemed like such a small amount of information. Although, he knew Gwaine would have suffered much more to save his sister.

Reaching over, he squeezed Gwaine's forearm. "I understand. I was with the party escorting King...Something-or-other...to Spain in the seventeenth century-"

"'Something-or-other?'" Gwaine parroted, trying not to laugh. "Can't say I've ever heard of that one."

Merlin gave him a look that warned not to push the issue. "Do you have any idea how many kings I've served under? No? Well, then, just drop it. Anyway..." He continued, "We were over in Spain trying to formalize an arranged marriage for the king. The fact I could speak Spanish was about the only reason I was brought along. I was supposed to pretend to be an idiot and spy for the king, as well as confirm some translations.

"The  _only_  reason I went along with it, was because I had been promised some land. This land." He swept his hand out across the gardens to clarify. "For a price, of course, but it was considerably less than what it was worth. So, I used a bit of magic to help persuade the king.

"Anyway, I was caught as a 'spy' and handed over to a Spanish Inquisitor. I was in his custody for nearly a month."

"Ouch. Now, I feel bad about some of the Spanish Inquisition jokes, I know I've made."

"Eh...it's alright." Merlin said, brushing off the apology. "My point is: I know first hand, what that stuff can do to a man."

"But, you got free, came back and bought Camelot."

"Yes, although the price had changed. For my services, I was also gifted...more like ordered...by the king to marry the daughter of some pinched-faced, little lord. I was not in a good mental state. It had been nearly eleven centuries since Camlann, and to have been reminded of the things Uther used to do. Well, needless to say, she and I didn't exactly get along together."

"What was her name?" Gwaine asked, enraptured by the story.

"Bloody hell if I know. I'm not sure I ever even bothered asking, at that time. I focused myself on securing what was left of Camelot. She hated living in a cottage, instead of a castle, and the manor wasn't built until sometime in the eighteenth century. After a couple of years, I sent her back to London to serve as one of the Queen's Ladies. Never heard from her after that."

"I thought you said you loved all seven of your wives?"

Merlin stared out at the gardens, and was silent for a few moments. "Hmm. I guess I lied...I've been married eight times. Don't tell Martha. She likes to think she's lucky number seven. I'll never hear the end of it, if she finds out that I forgot about one."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: *strong parallel in content and timeline for SG-1 Episode 10x10 “The Quest, part 1” for the next few chapters. * denotes transcript dialogue from that episode.

 

* * *

 

“You’re certain?” Merlin asked, excitedly. He pointed to one of the stars on the holographic display. “That one there?”

Percival nodded and smiled, “It took some ingenuity, but we’re as sure as we are going to be about it.”

Five men were gathered around the console, each studying it, attempting to find a solution. Once the image of the triskelion had been lined up, they began to see a pattern. With Mickey’s help they had run through known Gate addresses stored in Leon’s ship computer, and discovered that combining the addresses of the three outer systems on each arm of the druid symbol, along with inputting the Camelot planet as the address of origination, only came back with one possible world.

“If there are defenses that prevent beaming or something, as Gwaine overheard, we can fly to a nearby planet, park the ship, and gate in from there.” Leon suggested.

“If Ba’al’s figured out the same thing, though...” Gwaine let the statement hang. They all understood the implications. If the Goa’uld knew where the planet was, his extensive knowledge of the Gate system would have led him to that same conclusion. Trying to get off of Leon’s ship and remain undetected,while they activated the Gate would be difficult at best.

“Why don’t we just go straight from here?” Mickey suggested, indicating the crystal-like gate in the room with them.

Merlin rested his chin in his hand, and stared at the large ring. It could be easy to walk through this Gate, but anyone on the other side would see the incoming Gate address. He still wasn’t ready to give up the secret. “No,” he said, simply. Pointing to another world, near the one they were discussing. “This one. It’s far enough out that Ba’al or the Ori might not have considered it, but close enough that it might give us a chance.”

Leon nodded, “I believe that could work, at least as far as getting through to the Gate. Although, I really don’t want to just leave my ship there. I’d rather take a look at the planet we’re going to first. See if it might be possible to access it that way.”

They all turned toward the door, when they heard it slide open with a hiss. Arthur walked in, his face was serious and his eyes were rimmed with red. Before any of the others were able to question it, he spoke softly. “Merlin, I need to speak with you alone, please.” He turned and walked back out without another word.

The warlock cocked his head to the side in worried curiosity and immediately followed his king out. He shrugged at the questioning looks the others gave him. He knew as much as they did about whatever was going on with Arthur.

Merlin walked beside his friend, as they exited out into the forest, offering silent support for whenever Arthur felt he was ready to talk.

“There’s a problem with Gwen and the baby.” He said, finally. “They have ordered her to be on total bed rest, and want to...to remove the baby.”

“I see.” Merlin placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “What exactly did they say?”

“It shifted...like they thought it would, but in the wrong direction.”

Merlin nodded in understanding. He knew enough about medicine and the human body to know what Arthur was talking about.

A few days earlier, Arthur had gone with Gwen and Martha to what was supposed to be a routine ultrasound. Martha had called him to explain that there were some issues and they wanted to admit Gwen for a couple of days for observation. At the time, she didn’t elaborate on it, just said that she would fill Merlin in when they returned home.

Early on in the pregnancy, a concern had been brought up with the placement of the placenta. The doctor had assured them that it was more than likely that the placenta would shift out of the way of the way as the baby continued to grow. From the look on Arthur’s face, and the few words he had said, Merlin surmised that it had instead moved the opposite direction. Placenta Previa, a condition where the placenta shifted to block the cervix was rare, but not unheard of.

“Can you do something for her, Merlin? I...can’t lose Guinevere.” The amount of despair in Arthur’s voice was heartwrenching.

Shaking his head, Merlin exhaled loudly. “You won’t lose her, but I’m sorry, Arthur, it’s not like healing battle injuries. If I tried to use my magic, it could cause more problems --”

“...But, they want to cut her open, Merlin!”

“I understand, but it’s not like back in Camelot. Medicine here is much different, much better. Women have this procedure all the time and it really is the safest solution. What’s happened is...” He bit his lip, searching for a way to explain. “It’s a natural thing.

“I’m still amazed at all I’ve learned in these past months. Here I am, having lived with magic my entire life, and never quite understanding it. The information from Dr. Jackson, plus everything in the computer system in the cave, as well as what I learned from the Nox has finally given me a level of comprehension, beyond my imagination.” Merlin explained to his friend. “I can heal wounds, bring the body back to its natural state, but certain diseases or natural development in this case...well, it can be done...but, for a price. I will not take that chance with Gwen.

“Now,” he said in a calm voice, making sure Arthur was looking at him. “...afterwards is a different story. I will be able to use my magic to heal the incision from the C-section. Alright?”

Arthur’s fists were clenched, as he tried to hold back his emotions. His mind had been on overdrive since he’d first heard the prognosis. He knew enough from his own experience that if a physician, even one as skilled as Gaius, suggested cutting a woman open to remove the baby, the mother hardly ever survived. Then again, the same thing might have happened if Gaius had ever tried to cut him open to remove the sword piece near his heart. Only a miracle would have saved him at that point. Yet, with modern techniques, he had been saved. Other than two scars, one where the sword went in and the other where Dr. Lam had pulled it out, Arthur suffered no other signs of what had happened to him.

“Here,” Merlin said, fishing into his pocket for his phone. “Let me call Martha and discuss it with her. She is the one with the medical degree. Maybe you, Gwen, and Aurie can move into London for a few weeks. There are great hospitals there that are better equipped to handle these things. Plus, I’m pretty sure Francine would love to help out with Aurie. She’s taken to him like a surrogate grandmum. That way, you won’t be out here, in the near middle of nowhere, if something happens.”

Arthur finally took a breath, and visibly started to relax. “What about our quest to find Aithusa for you?” He asked in a feeble attempt to distract himself.

“Don’t you worry about that. We’ve got that covered. You...” He gave Arthur a pointed look. “...spend time with your family and take care of Gwen. She’d never forgive any of us if something happened to you before this baby is born.

“Gods only know the lengths she would go to, to exact her revenge. There wouldn’t be a safe place in this galaxy - or any other, for that matter - for me to hide. Bloody hell, she’d probably mount my head above the mantle in the library; put antlers on it...or something. Can you picture me with antlers on my head? She’d show it off to the kids, when they got older. ‘Oy, look there. See that head above the fire? That was your father’s best friend, until I hunted him down and killed him because your father missed the births of both of you.’”

Arthur choked on his sudden laughter, imagining the scene. “Well, at least they’d know not to mess with her when she’d ask them to clean their rooms.” He took another deep cleansing breath and spontaneously pulled Merlin into a hug. “Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

He squirmed, and she continued to stare at him. Her arms resting across her chest. Fishing into his pocket, he pulled out her car keys and held them out. Carolyn’s eyes flicked toward the dangling objects and then back up to Gwaine’s face.

He sighed and placed the keys on the coffee table between them. “I’m sorry. I lost my mind when I realized she’d been taken. I’d have done the same for you.”

“I know,” Carolyn said quietly. “I think that’s what worries me, Gwaine. You didn’t think, and now look at you...” She motioned to his arm and the yellowing bruises on his face.

Sitting back against the couch with a huff, Gwaine let his hair fall into his eyes. He’d convinced Merlin to use a spell to help it grow. It wasn’t as long as it had once been, but at least it was more than the military haircut he’d been sporting for the last year. There was a certain amount of security he found by hiding behind the dark locks.

They sat across from each other in silence for a while. “This is who I am though. I’m an impulsive SOB and will do just about anything for those I care about.”

“I didn’t mean that you shouldn’t, Gwaine.”

“Oh, no. I understand.” He shoved against the couch with his good arm, and stood up. “You need someone who’s a bit more reliable than I am.”

“Damnit, Gwaine...I only meant that you could have been killed or something. I didn’t mean -”

“Listen, it’s okay. I get it.” Heading toward the door, he grabbed his jacket. “I need to go meet with an actual realtor and see if I can get something moving on the house, anyway. I’ll call you later.”

She growled in her frustration, as the door closed behind him.

* * *

 

The moon cast a pale glow through the open window, highlighting the beautiful woman beside him. Reaching out carefully, he brushed a stray lock of dark hair out of her face. Her features were slack and peaceful, and her breath even, in a comfortable sleep.

He hadn’t planned on staying in her bed, as often as he had of late, but after she had awoken, trembling from a nightmare, he had finally relented into sleeping at Laney’s side.

When they had arrived back at the manor, the boys had seen their mother and come running. She was nearly tackled to the ground by their enthusiasm Tears and kisses were passed freely among them. Leon stood back, watching the sight with a warmth in his heart that had been growing for some time. On her right hand, she wore the ring he had given her. Laney had explained that she didn’t want to confuse her boys by wearing it on the left, and Leon didn’t mind at all.

It was two days, before she sat them down for a good talk. As she had expected, it hadn’t gone completely smooth. Leon had wanted to step in, but he knew that it was not his place to do so. Time would work it out, he hoped, and he agreed with Laney when she suggested backing off a bit to give them all time to adjust.

He already had a bit of rapport with Toby, thanks to Arthur allowing the boy to sit in on some of their discussion. The younger two barely knew him, and vise versa.

He was awoken by Randy one night, softly tapping on his door, and asking for Leon to help his mom. The young boy had been in his mom’s bed, when she had started crying in her sleep. It was the first outward sign that she had suffered any lasting effects from her time as Ba’al’s prisoner. Leon had followed Randy to his mom’s room and taken the sleeping woman in his arms and soothed her fears.

He sighed and focused back on her sleeping face, thinking about the days to come.

His ship was repaired, the planet he and the other guys would fly to had been chosen. Merlin had gone to London to help get Arthur and Gwen set up in a flat, near both Martha’s family and a hospital.

Mickey was back in Cardiff. So, it would be Laney and the boys, along with the resident family that maintained the manor, left behind. He worried about her, and hoped that they wouldn’t be gone long.

When he looked back at her again, Laney’s eyes were open and watching him.

“You okay?” She asked, softly.

He nodded and kissed her. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

* * *

 

The week began passing them all by too quickly. A townhouse, just up the street from the Jones’ had been up for sale. Merlin was able to negotiate a lease for the next few months, with the prospect of purchasing it in the future. It was quicker than buying for the time being and the location was perfect for being able to stay close to Martha’s family once their own child was born.

Another bonus, was that he had been able to work in the furnishings as part of the deal. So, by the end of the week Arthur’s family was able to move right in. On the exterior, Gwen seemed so much calmer than her husband about the whole situation, but Merlin could feel the fear underneath the mask of bravery.

“They’ll be fine.” Martha said, snuggling against her husband’s bare shoulder. She had made certain to be with Gwen for every appointment that had been scheduled at the nearby hospital. A more complete examination had determined that the situation wasn’t quite as bad as they first anticipated. To be on the safe side, however, the doctors were still very insistent on Gwen compliance to total bedrest, and a scheduled c-section as close to full term as they could manage.

Merlin’s fingers danced in lazy circles over Martha’s bare shoulder. “I know, but remember...they come from a time where something like this would mean nearly certain death for both Mother and babe. It’s got to be so hard for them to wrap their minds around it. Maybe I should tell the other guys to go on without me to check out this planet. Stay here for Arthur’s sake.”

“Not a chance.” She pushed herself up to look down into his blue eyes. She wasn’t about to let him sacrifice his own chance for answers, just to hold his best friend’s hand. “I’ll be here with them. Mickey’s going to be back at Torchwood, and I have Carolyn on speed dial. If anything happens, I’ll get word out to you.”

Martha slid her leg over his hips to straddle him. The satiny blue negligee she wore, moving like a second skin. " _I_  need you to be alright, Merlin.” She took his hand and placed it on the minuscule swelling of her lower abdomen. “ _We_ need you to be alright...and I know you’ve been using your magic on Gwaine. The hair was a nice touch, by the way.”

He smirked, recalling how Gwaine now looked at himself in every reflective surface he could find. Laney had started calling him a myriad of names, most of which referenced various princess movies, and singing songs like ‘You’re so vain.’

“You put on a good front, but we can all see how tired you get from that, love.” Martha said, pulling his attention back to her.

“Oy, it’s not as bad now that I’ve figured out spoken spells take less effort than my natural ones.” He squirmed under the look of incredulity she gave him. They had already argued this point earlier in this week, along with the possibility of more delays. Martha was exasperated by how Merlin tried to brush off the exhaustion. “Fine. I’ll head back to the manor tomorrow and the boys and I will head out, then.”

Leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his. So many worlds were being taken, and more bowed down to the Ori with every day that passed. It was just a matter of time before they built another Supergate. Martha was frightened for what might happen to her husband if the connection to that galaxy was reopened before he found a way to deal with his connection to Aithusa. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” he promised. He pulled her body flush against his and held her tightly. “You won’t.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And, back into some fun with another cross-over episode modified from SG-1 Canon.
> 
> *denotes dialogue taken directly from episode 10x10 "The Quest" I hope I explained it enough (and filled in the blanks) to make sense to the Non-Gater, Merlinians who are reading. :D
> 
> Proofread by Nance, any remaining errors are my own. (If you see something really out of line, let me know via PM or review!)

 

* * *

Gwaine had been sitting in the command chair, and Percival was nodding off in a neighboring seat. Meanwhile, Leon and Merlin were somewhere else in the ship. He figured Leon was tinkering with stuff, as he always did, and Merlin was probably in meditation. Flexing his hand, he was more than grateful for Merlin's healing touch. He still had bruises from his capture, but the more serious of the injuries had all but disappeared.

Worrying about his sister and the boys, how they were at the manor with only Harri and her family as company, played on his mind. Gwaine could tell that Leon was also concerned, but there wasn't much either of them could do from out here. Laney was strong, though, and Gwaine knew his sister would push past her troubles by focusing on the boys.

The news about Gwen and the baby had shaken them all. Even though Arthur had desperately wanted to accompany them, they had all agreed that this was simply another scouting mission, and it was more important for him to stay with his family for the time being. Just to be safe, though, Arthur had given Merlin the sword.

Gwaine glanced over the console display. Dark eyes narrowed at what he saw, "What the bloody hell...?"

"Hmm?" Came Percival's half-hearted question. The large knight cracked open his eyes.

"Nothing."

"Then, why did you curse?" He mumbled, and shifted in his seat to try and get comfortable.

"Because...there's nothing!" Gwaine drawled out. "We're here...and there is absolutely nothing."

They had left Earth, and set a course in Leon's ship to the coordinates of the planet. Their initial thought was to fly by, and check out the defenses Ba'al had alluded to. Now that they had reached the coordinates, it was only to find they had arrived in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't a planetary star system in sight, according to the scanners.

Percival cocked his head to the side and glanced at the display. "I'll go let Leon and Merlin know."

* * *

After sitting down and debating the situation, they finally concluded that the main 'defense' they were concerned with, turned out to be that the planet was somewhere else entirely. It wasn't as if it had been destroyed, or anything so ominous. Leon suggested that a skillfully programmed Gate protocol might have rerouted the Gate address from the real coordinates of the planet, to someplace else entirely.

A decision was made to head to the Camelot planet, one of the closest in the system to the Gate address. Reluctantly, Leon set his ship down in the forest, a few leagues from the local Gate, and secured it as well as he could. He remotely engaged the cloak to hide it in the small clearing. Turning back, as they began to trudge their way through the forest, he felt a bit of anxiety creeping in. The sword was now in Merlin's hands; the ring on Laney's; his ship was the last material possession he owned, that held any real meaning for him.

"Come on, Han Solo, your ship will be fine!" Gwaine had cackled, while Merlin and Percival snickered at the reference.

The ancient knight glared at them for a moment, before following them to the Gate.

"So..." Percival said quizzically. "Does that make you Princess Leia or Chewbacca...with all that hair?"

It was Gwaine's turn to glare, as he flipped his bangs out of his face.

* * *

Emerging through the Stargate from Camelot to the displaced world, they ran into their first challenge. Followers of the Ori were guarding the area around the Gate. The knights managed to defeat them fairly easily, and Merlin had reached out with his magic to trip one who tried to run, presumably to warn more of his fellow soldiers.

Gwaine had made an offhand comment about how they were lucky very few aliens saw fit to give their troops means of actual communication...such as radios. Most, like the Goa'uld, didn't care enough about their subordinates to give the common soldiers a method of relaying orders, or updating their status. Other, such as the Ori, were too over-confident in their ability to crush their enemies, that they felt it was unnecessary.

Cautiously, the knights made their way toward the village. Slipping through the alleyways, they managed to avoid most of the Ori followers, and pick up tidbits of conversation along the way. Two parties, both of which were interested in finding the Sangraal, had come through the town. The first one, a few days prior, sounded suspiciously like it had been lead by Ba'al. To hear the second group described, left no doubt that it was SG-1.

From what they overheard, however, it appeared the Ori had arrived before Mitchell's team and had laid a trap for them. There were whispers from the townsfolk. Cautiously, the four men made their way through town, attempting to figure out which way SG-1 had gone, after leaving the area.

At the center of the medieval styled town, was the square. A large pile of smouldering ash was ringed by Ori warriors. They had come into town, taken it over, and burnt all the books from the local archives...just as they had in many other worlds.

Amidst the embers, Merlin was able to make out the remains of a rectangular box, which seemed to be of much finer construction than anything else in the dying fire. "I need a distraction." He explained, when Gwaine caught him looking around the square with narrowed eyes.

"Will do. Distraction is my middle name." Gwaine didn't question Merlin's need, as he smirked and winked.

"How about one where you don't get caught this time, Gwaine?" Leon smiled.

"Says the one who gave me the job last time." Gwaine patted Percival on the shoulder, and the large knight followed his friend back around the corner of a building, and down an alley.

"What are you after?" Leon asked, once the other two had gone.

Merlin pointed to the half-burned scroll box. It looked like it had been covered in dark silk, with a bit of padding inside to help protect the treasured parchment within.

Leon nodded and then pointed toward another place in the fire. "...Another one, there."

"What the..." Merlin's lips turned up in disdain. He hissed out a curse. "Damnit, Gwaine...I said a 'distraction,' not a huge scene!"

Leon barely managed to stifle a laugh. Gwaine was on the other side of the square, coming out of a side street next to the local pub; tankard in his hand and a mischievous grin on his face.

* * *

Merlin stared at the motionless people. It was like some weird form of modern art. His heart went out to each one of them. A man here: just preparing to draw his bow to shoot an immobile bird out of the sky. A woman there: looking frantically ahead at a child she might never reach; her arms stretched out in front of her. Her eyes glistened, as she tried to call her son back. There was an older man with a book he'd been so engrossed in, that he hadn't been paying attention to where he was walking.

From Merlin's spot at the edge of the odd phenomenon, he counted at least thirty people who were trapped. The leaves in the trees above seemed to sway in the wind; a facade perpetrated by the alien technology that held everyone inside captive. The illusion was betrayed by the insects and birds that hovered, frozen, in the air.

"Temporal dilation field." Leon said, coming along side his friend. "It could go on for miles, in either direction."

Merlin nodded, grasping only the basic concept of what Leon was explaining. It was a trap; set in place by the Ancient known as Morgan Le Fey. The 'field' perceptibly stopped time. Although, that in itself, was only an illusion. He could feel that now. The people trapped inside were still alive...still moving...but, it was so slowly that it couldn't be seen with the naked eye. Much like his magic that halted things in mid-air: the object still moved, yet it was completely outside the normal progression of time. The men, women, and creatures stranded probably had no concept of the world passing by outside of the area.

Gwaine and Percival were crouched near the edge, studying the ground and speaking quietly.

"SG-1 came this way. I'm certain of it," Gwaine stated loudly. He pointed to a barely visible track, left by combat boots that appeared to walk directly into the field. "They must have found a way through. Might be only a couple of hours ahead of us, at most."

Moving away from the time field, Merlin sat down under a tree. He dug through his pack, while the others attempted to figure out how to get through. He carefully extracted his treasures, which had been rescued from the flames in the nearby town.

Gwaine and Percival had managed to get the attention of the guards around the fire by starting a tavern brawl, of all things.

Using his magic, the warlock had summoned the smoldering scroll cases, and what remained of their contents to him. Once they had been secured, he had caused the pile of embers to flare, turning the guards, who had been laughing at Gwaine's spectacle, back to the remains of the fire.

A few minutes later, they had regrouped at the edge of town, where Merlin took a quick look at the contents. The one in the worst shape, was the blackened edge of a map. It showed the town and the basic direction they should follow. Leon had argued that it could have been any map, but Merlin's gut instinct told him it was the one they needed.

Unfortunately, there was only enough left to get them started, and the area they were now in, was uncharted territory. He glanced back to where the people stood, frozen in the forest, and pulled out the second scroll fragment. Using a hint of magic, he smoothed it out and tried to repair what he could of the ashes. At the widest point, the unscorched part of the scroll was less than two inches. A few other random pieces made what little writing he could see, even more confusing.

"Were you able to save anything worthwhile?" Leon asked, sinking to the ground near Merlin.

The warlock shrugged, "From what little I can discern, it appears to be a list of virtues. Only in the language of the Ancients."

"Kind of like: Courage, Magic, and Strength, eh?" Gwaine said as he and Percival approached them.

Merlin sniggered, recalling the bridge. "Something like that."

"Well, we needed all three of those to get through that quest. Maybe these..." He pointed at the blackened remains of the parchment. "...Are the ones we need to get through the defenses."

Leon scanned the pieces, over Merlin's shoulder. He pointed at one word he was able to distinguish. "Perhaps, it would be 'prudent' to follow the tracks SG-1 left. They obviously managed to get through the field."

Nodding thoughtfully, Merlin glanced back at the area. "I can sense places where the distortion appears to wane. Between that and the footprints...I think we might have a chance."

Gwaine smiled and held out his hand to help Merlin stand. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

Much to their relief, the temporal distortion field had a labyrinthine path winding through it. Once they were past the initial few turns, it was obvious that someone ahead of them had resorted to more primitive methods of finding their way through. Occasional rocks had been suspended in mid-air, marking invisible walls of the frozen time. Once they were through, the four men continued on their way.

"What is that?" Gwaine paused. He motioned the the area ahead of them.

In the center of a clearing sat a lone, treasure chest. A myriad of feet had recently trampled around the area, almost as if they had been stuck near the chest. It was small, similar to a medieval lockbox that would have been tucked under the beds of the nobles back in Camelot.

"Do we check it out?" Leon looked at Merlin, waiting for him to make the decision.

Shrugging, the warlock really had no idea what the situation was, or what they might be facing. The fact that SG-1 was no longer trapped, meant that if it was a trap, there was obviously a way out. Percival had skirted the area and was on the other side of the clearing. "There are tracks here, but..."

"But, what?" The ancient knight asked.

"These are not SG-1's tracks. They seem to be the same boots the Jaffa wear, and appear to be a few days old, at least."

The four men scoured the surrounding area, and were surprised to find that those were the only tracks leading away from the clearing. There was no sign of where SG-1 would have gone to, beyond the chest.

"What do we do now?" Gwaine's eyes were squinted, as he surveyed the clearing, before they landed back on the chest.

Merlin shrugged. If this was another test left by the Ancient, Morgan Le Fey, there was only one option left. "We open it."

Cautiously, Merlin reached his hand toward the latch, and paused.

"Expecting something to jump out and bite you?" Gwaine asked, noting the hesitation.

Merlin chuckled, because that had been the thought running through his head. Memories of various ferocious creatures, that resided in an altered dimension within a similar chests, were clear in his mind. "Indeed, Gwaine."

The younger man strode forward with a smirk, and flipped open the lid. The moment he did, a force field sprung up around the four men. "Well, that explains why all the tracks were dancing around in a circle here."

Just as the chest had been centuries before, this one was also empty at first glance. Reaching back through his memory, Merlin was surprised to recall the words that were used. Closing the lid, Merlin shut his eyes and cast a spell. "Gebiede ic þone feorhberend þære ealdaþ æ!"

Another spell was on his lips, the one that would destroy the chest, if need be. He stepped back and motioned for Gwaine to open it. Leon and Percival held their weapons ready, unsure of what to expect.

Gwaine flinched and jumped back, raising his rifle, prepared to shoot whatever Merlin was expecting to come through.

Chuckles of relief escaped them all, when they saw that the box remained empty.

"That was rather anticlimactic." Leon said, clapping Merlin on the back. He immediately grasped his friend's shoulder, as Merlin shifted clumsily from the brotherly pat. Although, many of the spells Merlin had been using appeared rather simple, it didn't stop Leon's concern for the other man. "You holding up alright?"

"Yeah, just disappointed more than anything," he responded, staring at the chest. "First time I saw one of these, it had a manticore in it."

"...And the last time?" Percival asked, feeling the inside of the chest.

"You don't want to know."

"So, if there is nothing in the chest, how do we use it to get out of this trap?" Gwaine questioned, tossing a rock at the force field. He watched the invisible wall glow and ripple, while the stone fell harmlessly back to the ground.

Leon scratched at his chin. "Can I see that scroll again, Merlin?"

Pulling it out of his pack, Merlin carefully unrolled the crinkled remains of the parchment, watching as few pieces of cold ash fluttered to the ground. He passed it over to Leon, who had been reading the alien languages for much longer than he had been.

The ancient knight began reading what he could discern around the singed parts out loud. Sadly, not a single complete line of text had survived. "'Only those virtue true...reach the flawed and tainted...speak the guardian's name.' That's all I can make out from the first section. The second is a bit clearer: 'The true man...prudence, wis...' probably wisdom '...charity and...' some word that begins with the letter 'f.'"

"Since the chest is empty, what would happen if we put something into it?" Percival suggested. Even in Camelot, the large man had always been among the most giving of the knights. He saw Gwaine's raised eyebrow and decided to clarify, "Charity. I know...it's a foreign concept for you."

It hadn't taken long for the four men to realized that they each needed to leave an item inside the chest. The moment the lid closed, the force field had fallen. Outside the circle of its containment, the tracks had changed. No longer did they see their own tracks leading to the chest, nor the Jaffa's footprints leading away. Instead, the trail they had been following, that of SG-1 had reappeared. Throughout the day they had determined that SG-1 was not alone, at least one other set of footprints traveled with them.

The new set, leading away from the chest and out of the forest, had been joined by yet one more pair of footprints. They assumed that someone, possibly one of the Jaffa or even Ba'al himself, had been trapped with the chest, since they saw no other sign of the Goa'uld's presence.

As they reached the edge of the forest, a large meadow spread out ahead of them, and in the distance, a lone mountain stood tall against the blue sky. Cautiously, they continued tracking SG-1 to the base of the mountain, and paused for only a moment before a cave opening. Pulling out their torches, they walked in carefully.

Merlin paused briefly. He felt like a blanket had been pulled over him. His magic and inherent abilities were suddenly muffled. Shaking it off, he kept the issue to himself, as they moved deeper into the cave.

A few yards in and the cavern split into two paths. A stone tablet, in the language of the Ancients, was carved into the wall ahead of them. "Choose the way that is just and true." While they stood debating, they heard a child crying from the left passage. Percival was the first to react, not caring which way they were supposed to go; his only thought being the welfare of the child. The others sped along after their friend, until they found their way barred by an iron gate.

On the other side, a small boy was curled up in a ball, sobbing.

They didn't need to argue, as each of them knew saving the child took priority over their current quest. Together they lifted the gate to free the boy, only to discover he was a hologram...and another test.

That was when they found another stone plaque with a riddle on it. As they read it, the cavern began shaking, blocking their way out.

Leon's time of traveling the stars had taught him the ability to speak in the Ancient dialects, as many worlds still referred to the language for various reasons. He read the riddle, translating it out loud for the others. "I'm struck and cut, shaped and cooled, then bound by rings to release what's stored."*

"Wow, way to go all 'Lords of the Rings' here!"

Merlin shook his head. "Nice reference there, Gwaine."

The cavern shuddered and quaked around them. Leon rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Do any one of you have a clue what it means?"

"Yep." Gwaine replied with a smile. "It's a key."

"Clavia." Leon said in the alien language. The wall with the inscription disappeared and a new tunnel was open before them. The shaking increased, threatening to bury them in the cave if they didn't move quickly.

The moment they were all in the new section, the wall behind them reformed. Finding another panel, Leon read the new words. "I shake the earth with booming thunder; fell forests whole and homes complete! I influence ships, topple kings, sweep down swift yet remain unseen!"

"Wind." The warlock stated, without hesitation.

Once again, the ancient knight spoke the answer in Ancient. "Ventio." The wall n front of them melted away.

As they entered the next room, the shaking increased. The roar and grumbling of the mountain, as it was rocked by unseen forces, was near-deafening. Barely discernible over the earthquake were voices ahead of them.

"Battle-scarred in times of strife. Resistant to… resistant to…" Came the frantic voice of Daniel Jackson.

"To what?" Vala asked, just as nervously.

"Uh, I don't know. I...I can't translate this section of the text."

Another voice, young and feminine, hastily yelled out a word. "Contagia!"

The world around them went still. The wall opened up in front of them. Adria walked through with a smug smile, not even noticing that they had been joined by others coming in from behind them, and was followed closely by Daniel and Vala.

"Well, Mister Dallon," Mitchell said with a smirk, emphasizing the civilian title. "I was wondering if you boys were going to show up to the party." He held out his hand and Gwaine clasped it in greeting. "I don't see the boss man with ya."

"Naw. He had to stay behind for some family stuff." Glancing around, Gwaine gave a friendly nod to Teal'c, who returned the gesture. His smiled turned into a scowl when his eyes came to rest on the Goa'uld with them.

"Sirs Gwaine and Leon." Ba'al said with an arrogant smirk. "I must say Sir Gwaine, you've healed rather well since our last meeting. Who are your friends?" His eyes fell on Percival and Merlin.

Both Leon and Gwaine had their weapons pointed at the Goa'uld, when Jackson's voice called to them all through the open doorway. "Guys! We may have a problem!"

Following Mitchell through the tunnel, none of them were surprised when it closed up behind them.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced..." Ba'al gave his most professional smile and held out his hand.

Merlin glanced briefly at it, but didn't move to take it. "No, we haven't." He left the Goa'uld standing awkwardly and moved over to Dr. Jackson. He raised his arm to shield his face from the wall of fire that barred their way. "A bit toasty, eh?"

"Yeah...and I can't seem to find anything like the previous rooms, in the way of a riddle." He spread his arms towards the rough stone walls.

Adria's voice, though soft, seemed to carry through the cavern, and over the sound of the flames. "I know you..." She was staring at Merlin. Her dark eyes were wide with a deep-seated fear that came from a soul that was not completely her own. "I remember hearing your voice."

"Adria. Ba'al. This is Colonel Emrys." Mitchell informed the two aliens. Seeing the concern in the faces of the knights, he explained, "Ole Daniel here likes to pick up strays along the way, and bring them home...even if they do have a tendency to bite."

Merlin gave them a brief nod, before turning back to the fire. He kept his breathing steady, although his heart was racing with nervous energy. Part of him wanted to acknowledge Adria and the anxiety that was present in her voice. However, pushing the issue of her hidden depths, in such a small cavern could prove to be rather volatile, especially with the knowledge of her Ori-given powers. The last thing he needed was for her to turn on him in the close confines of the room.

"That is a rather beautiful sword you have on your hip, Colonel Emrys...or should I call you King Arthur?" Ba'al stated in his arrogant voice. The smirk on his face announcing that he believed he had figured out the puzzle.

Snickers erupted from the three knights, but before anyone could respond, Adria spoke up again. "No...he's not the fabled king. He's the servant." Her voice deepened and filled with disdain.

The corner of Merlin's mouth twitched. It was still Adria's voice, and it was her face that sneered at him, but in the recesses of her dark eyes, he began to see a familiar spirit burning.

"As fascinating at this is, we need to find a way past the fire." Colonel Carter said, breaking the tension.

Jackson immediately turned back to the task at hand. "The parchment told us that five virtues would guide us in our quest for the Sangraal: prudence, kindness, charity, wisdom, and faith. Now, we displayed prudence in finding a way out of the temporal maze; charity in escaping the forcefield trap; kindness by helping the child and finding the hidden passageway, and wisdom in solving the riddles. The only virtue left is faith."*

"Faith is something I've always had." Merlin gave a soft smile. He met Jackson's eyes, and they shared the same conclusion. "Would you like to go first, or shall I?"

The archeologist blinked and stared at the red flames blocking their path. Without another word, he moved forward. Merlin was barely a step behind him, while the others cried out various warnings. The two men passed directly through the fire...and the flames disappeared.

As the others filed into the next room, after seeing Merlin and Jackson uninjured, they found themselves on a stone shelf overlooking a vast chasm.

In the center was a stone platform, surrounded by the abyss. On top of that was a dais, and in the center...shining bright and red...was the Sangraal Crystal.

Merlin stared at the jewel. It looked it the exact same as the one that had hung around the neck of Moros' hologram. He felt Leon brush against his shoulder and he looked up into his friend's eyes. Leon gave a minescule shake of his head. Even without his magic, Merlin could sense...or rather, not sense...the presence of the crystal.

Months prior, Leon had mentioned two crystals in his possession. Merlin nodded in understanding. One of those data crystals, the ancient knight had explained, was different - in that it he had never found a control panel that was able to read the data. It made sense to Merlin now...Leon already had the Sangraal in his possession.

Mitchell was discussing the situation with Jackson, while the others made various comments about the narrow path spanning the dark expanse of nothingness below.

They watched as Adria, no longer concerned with the recent re-emergence of her memories, crossed to the dais. Jackson was with her, and although they couldn't hear their words, it was clear the two were arguing about something concerning what Merlin already suspected was a hologram of the crystal.

"What's the hold-up?"* Mitchell called out, his voice echoing in the vast chamber. Jackson didn't respond, still in his heated discussion with Adria.

Merlin chuckled, he finally remembered where he had seen a similar cavern, but without the bridge. He glanced at Leon. "You remember the dragon's cave?"

The blond knight paused and looked around the place with new eyes. "Bloody hell..." He turned to the other knights and whispered for them to be ready. A bad feeling crept into his spine.

Jackson finally took a step forward and made a grab for the Sangraal. His hand passed right through the hologram of the crystal. A loud grating sound, followed by a roar, resounded from the depths of the abyss and the cavern began to shake again.

"Is it just me?" Gwaine muttered, with a grin towards Merlin. "...Or, did that sound like a pheasant?"

Jackson and Vala had rushed back to the ledge with the others; Mitchell calling for everyone to get out of there. The way they had come in through had disappeared, becoming a solid wall of stone.

Merlin felt his heart quicken at a sound he hadn't heard for so long. Large, leathery wings pressed against the air, lifting the form of the ancient beast.

Vala's fearful voice cut through the noise. "We agreed there's no such thing as a dragon, right?"*

He didn't hear anyone elses response. His blue eyes were wide with wonder and anticipation as the creature rose above them. It was neither a dragon, nor what Gwaine had referred to as a pheasant. He hoped it would have at least been a wyvren; some form of kin to the dragons. What he saw was an odd, hybrid creature, obviously created simply for the purpose of guarding this cavern. The dragon-like wings replaced the front legs, making it seem deformed.

Merlin stood mesmerized by the beast. He reached out to it, just as it took a breath. Flames surrounded them and he instinctively reached for his magic through the dampening sensation and threw up a shield.


	9. Chapter 9

The fire subsided and Merlin fought against the drain that accompanied the non-verbal spell. He barely heard Adria taking credit for using her personal shield, and almost chuckled. He'd felt it cover them, but it was only the combination of the two forces that had managed to protect them all. In the midst of the chaos, he'd felt something. It was similar to a few of the images that Aithusa had sent him, during his initial contact with the dragon through the Supergate. Through it, he had felt the heart of the Ori's power.

The other people on the ledge were arguing about what to do when the dragon-creature dove at them. The tail swung out, and they all barely managed to duck as the large whip cracked against the wall. Rocks shattered, and the doorway was busted wide open.

Mitchell gave the command to fall back, and they all filed quickly through the gaping hole. The dragon roared and then exhaled into the opening of the tunnel, causing them all to run back even further.

Teal'c spoke up, as they ducked their heads again, rocks crashing around them, while the dragon beat itself against the walls to try and get to them. He had discovered an exit, recently uncovered from the quakes.

Following the large Jaffa out, they all breathed in relief when they hit the clean air of the meadow. For a moment, the large group of aliens and humans paused, relishing in the idea they were safe.

Mitchell bent over to catch his breath. "Okay, what the hell just happened back there?"*

"It was a hologram. The Sangreal wasn't real."* Jackson replied in frustration.

Merlin was barely aware of their words, as a wave of dizziness came over him. He knew better than to try and reach for his magic like he had, but the instinct to protect himself and his friends, was overwhelming.

He felt Gwaine at his side, and took the other man up on his silent offer of support. Merlin needed to focus, he couldn't afford to falter now, not with Adria so close. He could vaguely hear her arguing with Ba'al.

"The dragon is the final test."*

"It would be madness to challenge that thing!"* The Goa'uld exclaimed.

Merlin could feel Gwaine chuckle and comment under his breath. "Not so full of himself when he doesn't have the advantage."

The roar and crashing of rocks turned their attention back to the mountain, just in time to see the dragon burst through the top. It spied them and began a rapid descent toward the meadow.

Mitchell yelled, "Tree line!"* Everyone followed the Colonel's command without question. Shots were fired at the dragon, but it appeared that not a single one penetrated the skin of the creature.

Gwaine tugged Merlin onward, and soon the warlock noticed Percival on his other side, as they helped him into the forest. The four men of the original Round Table stepped away from the others, spreading out along the edge of the woods to get a clearer view of the beast.

SG-1 was arguing with Ba'al and Adria about the creature's name, and what their next move should be, when Mitchell finally turned to the knights. "So...Colonel Emrys, what's the deal with the dragon? You know more about dragons than the rest of us. Part of the Parchment of Virtues mentioned speaking the name of the guardian. Well, that's the guardian...and Ba'al here kind of lied about knowing its name. I'd like to try and go at it with a little more than a half-ass guess that its name might be Daryl."

Vala smiled triumphantly at Mitchell choosing to use the name she had suggested while they were arguing.

Merlin sat against a rock. He glanced toward the meadow where the creature was circling. "That's not a real dragon." It wasn't a wyvren either. The thing they were facing was a crazed beast, trained for a single purpose...to protect that cavern. How long had it been since he had actually tried to control a creature like it?

"Well, it's not a hologram either. Our bullets just bounce right off of it." Mitchell paused for a moment, and noticed that the man seemed a bit more winded than the rest of them. When Merlin didn't answer right away, he mistook it for Merlin suffering a relapse. Turning back to his team, he suggested, "Maybe we should try something that packs a little more punch?"

Pulling out a block of C-4 from his pack, he set it aside as Carter, Jackson, and Teal'c did the same. They tossed their explosives to Mitchell, who proceeded to tape them all together. He stuck a remote fuse on it, and tossed Carter the detonator. "All right, here is what we're gonna do. We're going to lure Daryl down to the ground. We're gonna take this thing, and we're gonna toss it underneath and detonate it near the exposed underbelly. That's where dragons are most vulnerable."

Merlin chuckled at the common misconception brought on by years of literature and movies. "Dragons are immune to all forms of mundane weaponry."

"Well, you said this wasn't a real dragon. So, can't hurt to give it a try." Mitchell prepared himself to rush out into the meadow. He was stopped by Teal'c. After a few hushed words from the Colonel, while Teal'c simply stood by, holding Mitchell's arm, the leader of SG-1 relented and passed the pack of explosives to the Jaffa. "Alright. Off you go."*

Teal'c raced out into the meadow, firing his P-90 in the air to get the dragon's attention. He fell to the ground as the beast passed over his head, nearly catching the Jaffa with its talons. Landing on the other side, it roared out a challenge.

Taking the opportunity, Teal'c threw the C-4 into its open maw. Carter hit the detonator, and they all watched as the head was engulfed in an explosion. The fire cleared almost instantly, leaving a very intact and rather irritated beast.

"Oh, son of a bitch!" Mitchell cursed, "Teal'c! Run!"*

Merlin shoved himself to his feet, and stumbled out of the treeline, just as the beast was bearing down on Teal'c. "Nun de ge dei s'eikein kai emois epe'essin hepesthai!"[1] He growled out in a deep voice that seemed to come from the depths of his very being.

To his surprised, the creature paused momentarily. He could see in its eyes, that it recognized something he had said, but it soon forgot the command and roared in protest; lunging for the warlock.

Merlin felt strong arms grab ahold of him, and they yanked him back to the cover of the trees. The creature took flight again, circling and waiting for its prey to re-emerge.

Jackson pulled off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his face. "Okay, the Parchment of Virtues said the Sangraal would belong to he who speaks the Guardian's name." He repeated, "The Guardian's name."*

Vala forced a supportive smile on her face. She reiterated the words that had been spoken earlier. "The Guardian is a dragon."*

"It's not a real dragon. At one time, it may have been related to them, but it's not anymore." Merlin said in a whisper. His voice was filled with longing for his lost kin.

Jackson's face lit up as he realized what he had been missing. "No, the Guardian is not a dragon. The Guardian is the person who set this whole thing up. The Guardian is Morgan Le Fay!"

Suddenly, Vala rushed out into the meadow. Mitchell cursed again, and Jackson was calling after her to wait.

She waved her arms to get the beast's attention. "Hey! Morgan Le Fay!"*

The creature paused briefly, before it opened its massive jaws and prepared to bathe Vala in flames.

"Daryl?"* She yelled, in a vain attempt to save her own life.

"Ganos Lal." A new voice said from out of nowhere. A dark-haired man stood next to her, and they both watched as the creature magically disappeared.

"Lancelot?!" Percival whooped in relief. He and the other knights rushed toward their friend.

The newcomer held up his hand to stop them, and turned to Merlin. He didn't have much time before the others found out what he was doing. His eyes implored Merlin to understand, and they shifted to the trees near the warlock.

He glanced to his right and saw Adria looking in confusion at Lancelot, as if she should have known him. Merlin nodded in silent understanding. He reached out with his magic and brushed it softly against her spirit; much the way the druids used to, when they called silently to him.

Adria's eyes were not the gilded orbs they had been on the balcony of the planet that was wiped out by the Ancient weapon. She was being separated from her Orici powers, by whatever defenses were in place in the area, much as his own magic had been blanketed inside the mountain. He could see that now, and he knew it was time to press the advantage.

The magic he had used throughout the day was wearing on him. He fingered the hilt of Arthur's sword, and steeled himself to keep it together long enough to reach her. Approaching her cautiously, he asked, "Morgana...?"

She spun regally toward him, and cocked her head. "My name is Adria." She said with strong affirmation, forgetting that she had recognized him earlier in the day. "I am the Orici."

"No. Your name was Morgana." Merlin kept moving forward. Slowly, he pulled out the sword. He drew a burst of strength from it, and also watched as her eyes followed the gleaming metal.

Adria felt something she had never truly felt before: fear for her life. She stepped back. Something deep down within her warned her against this man. Her name was on her lips, although she wasn't certain how she knew. She almost stumbled, but he caught her arm. His grip was firm, but not painful.

"I need you to remember, Morgana." The plea in his voice was strong, almost as strong as the threat she felt hidden in his words.

"I don't know what you mean..." Her eyes darting between his face and the sword. He had killed her with that sword.

"Remember Aithusa. He is in trouble..."

"Aithusa is a 'she.'" Adria spat instinctively. Her eyes widened and she stuttered, "I don't know why I just said that. Who are you? Don't you know who I am?" The Orici struggled. She wasn't sure if it was against his hold, or the memories that began burning inside her.

He planted the sword in the ground next to him; a sign of peace and laying down of arms. His voice softened. "You were once the kindest woman I ever knew. You spoke outwardly against the oppression of our kind against your father. You were Morgana. I need you to remember, Morgana. Please, Aithusa needs our help, and only you can tell me where to go."

"NO!" She screamed out. Merlin went flying backwards at the sudden burst of true magic from her.

He managed to land easily, and immediately roll to his feet. His eyes glowed and he thrust his hand out, sending her backwards. "Oferswing!" [2]

She hung against a nearby tree, the force of his magic holding her in place. "Aithusa is dying. He..." Merlin shook his head and corrected himself. It wouldn't do to argue the gender of a hermaphroditic dragon at this point. "... _She_  needs you. She needs  _us_  to save her, Morgana."

Adria laughed, but the sound that came out was not the sweet, even tone of the Orici. It was the maniacal cackle of an insane witch. Merlin knew he had broken through.

"Oh, Merlin. What makes you think I would help you? For two years, she stayed with me in darkness, though I told her to flee." Morgana clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes, before turning her evil glare on Merlin. "She kept promising me...her Dragon Lord would come to rescue us both...but, you never did. Did you?"

His hold on her faltered, "I didn't know, Morgana."

"Did you even look?" She asked in mocking innocence.

Merlin's throat tightened and his heart sank. "I tried."

"...But, obviously, you didn't try hard enough, Emrys." She spat his name like a curse and thrust her chin outward. A sudden blast of magic knocked Merlin off his feet. Morgana fell to the ground.

Gwaine fingered his trigger, he wanted nothing more than to put a few rounds into her. The tone of her voice, so haughty and self-righteous, sent shivers through him. He gritted his teeth against the memories of the pain she had inflicted on him. He could feel Lancelot's presence next to him, also tense. He briefly wondered if the Ascended Knight would actually do anything.

It seemed to be providence that Lancelot had arrived when he did. However, Gwaine was confused by the supposed rules of non-interference. He hoped they would have time to question the man, when this was all over.

Leon and Percival stood a few paces away, torn between wanting to help their friend, and knowing they needed to let the situation play out. When Ba'al tried to take a step toward the discarded sword, however, they were there to stop him.

"Adria, please..." Vala's voice called out.

Morgana turned on the woman with a look of confusion. "Who are you?" She asked, standing up and brushing herself off. Her hair that had been perfectly in place, was now coming loose from the tight bun. Stray wisps fell around her face, highlighting the insanity in her eyes. The most disturbing thing was her eyes, as they had shifted from dark brown to a familiar pale-green.

"Adria...er...Morgana, please. Stop this now..." Vala pleaded, trying to get through to her daughter. She had thought seeing the baby girl she had given birth to - grown to full adulthood in less than a week - was shocking. Watching that girl become a religious figurehead set on galactic domination, was beyond her comprehension. Looking into the familiar face with the wrong eyes...seeing the insanity and malice behind them...was worse than Vala could have ever imagined.

Morgana turned on the woman with a look of confusion. Again, she asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm your mother. Don't you remember?" Vala smiled softly.

"My mother was killed by Uther's betrayal."

"No...I wasn't..." For a moment the raven-haired woman paused, then her smile returned. "I...ran away. It was all I could do to save myself, and...save you."

Merlin glanced at Vala, while he pulled himself to his knees, wondering what she was up to. Mitchell was instantly at his side, grasping the warlock's elbow and helping him to stand.

"If that's so...then, what is my father's name?" The witch said, advancing on the newest member of SG-1.

"...Uther...?" She bit her tongue, obviously gambling with what little knowledge she had on the woman in front of her.

Morgana growled, "Wrong."

Vala blinked and shook her head oddly. A familiar voice had entered her mind and given her a name. She glanced over Morgana's shoulder to see Merlin staring at her. He nodded.

Turning back towards Morgana, she almost faltered, "Goldie...Gorlois. Your father's name was Gorlois."

Narrowing her eyes, Morgana paused and stretched out her hand, threateningly. "What was my sister's name?" Morgana challenged again.

Vala's blue eyes skipped to Merlin, waiting for him to tell her, as he had Morgana's father's name. "More...?" She scrunched her face, and stuck out her tongue. The name in her mind proved to be more difficult to pronounce, "More-Goose...?"

Screaming in rage, Morgana flung her hand out, and sent Vala soaring. "You dare try to deceive me?!"

Flying backwards, Vala's fall was cushioned when she landed on Ba'al. She turned to the Goa'uld with a smirk. "Thanks!"

The System Lord sneered and pushed Vala off him. Morgana sauntered toward them, but she failed to see that Merlin had shoved Mitchell's assistance off, and was coming up behind her.

Merlin grabbed her with his magic, clenching his fist and pulling her onto her back. He whispered words of power, and vines slithered from the forest at his call. They wrapped around Morgana and lifted her up to face him.

He grasped her face in his hands. "Forgive me, Morgana...for everything." Pressing his forehead to hers, he allowed his memories to flow into her. The times he had wronged her; his mistakes and also her own.

She fought against the onslaught of emotions. Then, when Merlin knew he finally had her full attention, he sent her a peaceful memory. He showed her Aithusa being called from the egg. "Please, Morgana. Remember Aithusa..."

He then sent her the images of the last time he had seen the dragon. "I know, now...I am to blame...but...I need your help to save her. You are the one who loved her, like I could not. You are the one she loved and trusted. Help me, Morgana." He voice trembled. This was his last chance to get the information he needed. "Aithusa is dying."

Merlin leaned in closer, tipping his face, until his lips were a hair's breadth away from hers. He breathed against Morgana's lips, giving her just a taste of the pain he was in; the pain Aithusa was suffering from. He hated doing this to her, but he needed to make sure he had fully reached her...needed for her to see past the animosity. This was for Aithusa, not for himself; not for the old rivalry they had, nor for the throne of a kingdom that no longer existed.

He focused solely on Aithusa, and the dragon's relationship with Morgana. For a moment, he worried about the Ori discovering the link between the dragon and himself. He was careful to not touch on any of his new revelations on the Ori's creation of the Dragon Lords. Merlin steered his thoughts away from the Sangraal, and anything else that touched on the Ori's plans for the Milky Way.

It could have been seconds or hours before her control broke completely. She screamed in agony, and collapsed against the vines holding her.

Staggering back, Merlin fell onto his rump. Although he had tried to prevent it, he had felt a crack between the mental wall that separated Morgana from the Orici begin to open.

He waved his hand and dismissed the vines, lowering her gently to the forest floor. Gwaine grasped Merlin's arm. He could see the exhaustion plaguing his best friend. He was worried that if this went on for much longer, then Merlin's previous collapse would have only been the tip of the iceberg.

Morgana pushed herself up and looked at them. She sneered, "You have what you need, Merlin. I suggest you leave before I change my mind about helping you. I know what they did to me now...how they tricked Aithusa...but, I cannot stop what is happening. If this Orici comes through completely, and sees you here, I will not be able to keep from her that the last Dragon Lord still lives." She leaned back against a nearby tree, and closed her eyes.

Merlin nodded, "Thank you, Morgana." He motioned for Gwaine to help him away.

Leon pulled the sword up, smirking at Ba'al, as he and Percival joined Merlin and Gwaine deeper into the forest, and out of Morgana's sight.

Mitchell followed along. He tapped Gwaine on the shoulder to pull him away from the others. "Listen, Dallon. I know you guys were here for the same reason we are: to find the Sangraal. But, I don't think the old Colonel over there is doing too good. Plus, with what Adria or Morgana...whoever she is...said..."

"Actually, we only came here because Merlin needed information from Morgana." He looked over at Lancelot. "I get the feeling this all plays together somehow."

The Ascended knight moved over to join their private conversation. "Indeed it does. There are many parts of the puzzle that must be put in place to defeat the Ori. You are close to your side of the answer, Colonel Mitchell. You must tell Daniel Jackson to be wary of the gift that may be offered to him."

Gwaine's eyebrows rose, "What about the whole 'not-getting-involved' business?"

Lancelot gave one of his soft smiles, although Gwaine could see a bit of sadness around the edges. "I think it's a bit too late for that. Merlin needs to rest, because what he must do next will take the strength of the entire Round Table."

"Well, it took some of Merlin's magic to get us past the warriors at the Gate the first time." Gwaine remarked, "I'm not sure how we're gonna get back through."

"I can assist you with that, my friend."

Gwaine chewed on his lip for a moment. He turned to Mitchell and asked, "Mind if I tag along with SG-1 for a bit? Maybe catch a ride back through the Gate with you guys? If Lancelot here can get them back to Leon's ship..."

"As long as your boss says it's okay, I don't see a problem." Mitchell tapped his gun and nodded, "I'm going to head back over with the others. I think as soon as Adria is herself again, we're going to be heading back into the mountain."

Moving back to the others, Gwaine noticed Merlin propped against a boulder. His eyes were closed, but he was still conscious. It was painfully obvious that the day's events had finally caught up with him. "Hey," he said, crouching down next to Merlin. "Mitchell said it was alright for me to hang out with them for a while. Lancelot said he'll get you guys out of here."

Merlin cracked open one eye. He took a pained breath. "Gwaine...Leon already has the crystal...we don't..."

"What if there's more to it, huh?" Glancing over at Lancelot, Gwaine received a nod. Without actually admitting it, the Ascended knight was giving them more information by confirming Gwaine's suspicions. "Better we find out now, and if it comes to it, I can let them in on a little of what we know."

"Perhaps, one of us should stay, as well." Leon suggested.

"Naw, you guys get the old man here home." He winked at Merlin. "Plus, I have a feeling I can get a little bit of payback."

Merlin gave a tired smirk, but he nodded his consent. "Take Percival with you, then. Someone will need to protect Ba'al. Be safe, Gwaine."

Gwaine gave his friends a casual salute, before heading off to catch up to SG-1, with Percival on his heels.

Lancelot looked at the remaining two. "Are you ready? I don't have much time." He waited for them to nod.

Quicker than they could blink, they found themselves in a different forest, next to Leon's cloaked ship.

Leon glanced over, prepared to thank Lancelot, when the Ascended knight's smile became sad.

Glancing up to the sky, Lancelot knew he'd crossed the line."They found me. I'm sorry, my friends..." He didn't need to say anything more. The pain was evident as his form began to dissipate. Lancelot's body turned into the shapeless, glowing light of the Ascended. Then, they watched it horror and shock, as it was ripped through the dimensions and out of their existence.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Dragon speak borrowed from Merlin episode 3x08 "The Eye of the Phoenix" spells list on Merlin dot wikia.
> 
> [2] 3x13 "Coming of Arthur, part 2"
> 
> *Transcript dialogue borrowed from SG-1 episode 10x11 "The Quest, part 2" from stargate-sg1-solutions dot com


	10. Chapter 10

Bright light flared; startling her from her sleep. She groaned and pulled the pillow over her head.

"Sorry," She heard her husband mutter, and the room was instantly bathed in darkness again. "I wasn't thinking, even though Laney told me you were here."

"S'alright," she responded sleepily. "How'd it go?" Martha asked, reaching out to touch him, as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Long. I got the information I needed, but..." His voice trailed off, while he removed his shoes.

"...but?" Sitting up, she wrapped her arms around her him, and he leaned back against her.

"Lancelot helped us, and we think he was caught for interfering by the Ancients."

"What does that mean?"

He shrugged. Merlin really had no idea what it meant. He had a little information from Daniel Jackson, about the archaeologist's time among the Ascended beings, but there was very little else to go on. "I kind of overdid it, with my magic a bit. Gwaine and Percival decided to stay with SG-1, while Leon and I came on home. I slept pretty much the entire return trip."

"You still sound tired, love." She began to massage his shoulders. A part of her wanted to chide him for being reckless, but she knew that he must have done it for a good reason.

He hummed and nodded. The magic he'd used had completely worn him out physically, but dealing with Morgana again and then, watching Lancelot torn out of this existence had hit him emotionally. Pushing the issues aside, he asked, "How're Gwen and Arthur holding up?"

"They're hanging in there. I think Arthur will be glad you've come back...especially, since the doctors are considering moving up the due date," she said, sensing that he didn't want to talk about his trip.

Merlin stood up and finished undressing. "Moving it up? How soon?"

"They were talking about doing it end of this week. The doctors are pretty sure she's at least at thirty weeks...so, with all that's going on, and she's started having Braxton Hicks Contractions, they feel it would be best to go ahead and do it. There's a 95% chance of survival...but, it's been really hard for them both to wrap their heads around it."

"Well, the world they came from babies like that had no chance...aside from an absolute miracle."

Martha pulled him into the bed covers with her. The rain outside kept the manor a bit chilled. So, she was happy to have him home to snuggle up to. "I came back here today to get a few things Gwen wanted for the baby. I was planning on heading back to London in the early afternoon, after I spent some time with Laney...but, if you  _and_ Leon are back...I suppose she doesn't need my company."

"She may not, but I know someone else who does."

"Who would that be?" Martha asked with a smile.

"Oh, just some bloke who keeps running off to the stars. No one important."

"Hmm...wonder if it's the same man whose car just got transferred across the ocean, and is now sitting in the garage, thanks to Mickey?"

An impish grin spread across Merlin's face. "Have I told you, how much I love you?"

"Mmm, not recently." They kissed gently, before she cuddled back down in the hollow of his shoulder. Her fingers played with the dark hair on his chest, as she debated pushing him. Her mind was full of questions about his recent journey. He'd said he'd gotten the answers he needed, but she wanted to know more.

"Go ahead and ask." He said, as if reading her mind.

Martha was grateful to realize they had finally gotten back to a level of understanding they had shared before everyone else came into their lives and threw their relationship for a loop. "I just want to hear the details. You know me...always needing to know more about things."

Shifting to get comfortable, he pulled her in tightly and nuzzled her coarse black hair. "Well, we found Morgana...or Adria, actually...with Colonel Mitchell's team. It took a bit to draw her out, once Lancelot defeated this...well, it was called a dragon...but, I really don't know what it was. That's where I had used my magic. I had to fight her into submission, and show her what was happening to Aithusa."

"So, was it like something out of a movie? Where you were both throwing fireballs at each other?"

He chuckled, "Naw, nothing so glamourous. But, when I finally connected to her mind, she showed me what I needed. Celestis isn't just the galaxy. It's also a massive city where the main base of the Ori power is, and where they reside. Morgana had a pretty good guess of where in the city they were keeping her."

"Her?" Martha asked with a snicker. Following the initial revelations, Merlin and Gwen had occasionally bantered about the dragon's gender. Until this point, he had been adamant about referring to the dragon as male.

"Don't start with me." He warned playfully and ran his fingers across a ticklish spot on her hip.

* * *

"Alright, what gives?"

"Hm?"

"I'm standing here, almost completely naked, and you haven't even looked at me."

Leon cringed, and then raised his eyes slowly from the bottle in his hand to the window pane in front of him. He could see Laney's curvy form reflected in the glass, as she leaned next to the post of the four poster bed in a skimpy black negligee.

Glancing back down at the drink, he lifted it to his lips. "Sorry, just got a lot on my mind right now."

Coming up to his side, Laney grasped his bearded chin in her fingers and turned his face. Standing on her tip toes, she kissed him gently. "What's up?"

He shook his head. His thoughts still wrapped up in the events that had taken place a few days before, on two different alien planets. Leon knew he was probably still in shock.

It was well past dark when they had arrived, and Laney had met them on the porch. She immediately peppered them with questions about where her brother and Percival were. Once she was assured that they were safe with SG-1, did she inform Merlin that his wife was upstairs sleeping.

Both men appeared haggard and worn, their eyes betraying the centuries they were feeling. Merlin nodded his thanks and slipped inside the manor. Leon pulled Laney into a tight embrace, and held her for a few minutes before excusing himself to take a much needed shower.

Slipping into a revealing negligee, Laney had entered his room unnoticed to find him staring blankly out the window.

"You said Gwaine and Percival were fine, right?"

"Yeah...Yes, they are." He took a shuddering breath. "It was...something else that happened, after we split up from them."

She kissed him again, trying to draw him out of the dark mood. While they hadn't known each other long, she could sense the pain in his every move. It was something that went far beyond the physical. His eyes were old and tired when he looked upon her.

Part of her wanted to run away from the haunted look. Laney had known personal loss, and the anguish she saw in him, scared her. Swallowing down her fear, she took the bottle from his hand, set it aside and then, nestled against his chest. He was the man who had rescued her. If anything, she owed it to him to be there in his time of need. Even if he couldn't seem to put it into words.

His chest heaved, attempting to control his emotions. Leon didn't want to grieve. He didn't even know the true fate of the only man who had actually known him for all the centuries of his life. It shocked him to realize how painful it had been, to watch as Lancelot had been torn away.

Lancelot had been the first one to come to him, when Leon was certain he should have died on that battlefield in France. Throughout the ages, when Leon had found himself doubting, or in trouble, and the soft-spoken knight would appear to offer a friendly smile or words of wisdom. He knew the moment he saw the pain on Lancelot's face, that the Ascended knight had truly been his best, and sometimes only, friend.

Finally, he felt himself relax in her embrace. He wrapped his arms around her, and buried his face in her hair. He wanted to forget about what had happened, if only for a short while. "I don't want to talk, or even think tonight."

"Then, what do you want to do?" She asked in a sultry tone. Her breath was warm against his ear.

He pressed his lips against the skin of her neck, before he lifted her up and carried her over to the bed.

* * *

They had gone back in the mountain, once Adria was revived. She knew something had happened and threw a minor tantrum, demanding to know what had been done. No one responded to her, not even Ba'al, though the Goa'uld smirked haughtily at having knowledge the Orici did not possess.

Jackson had tried to pick up the Sangraal again, and instead of a crystal, he had activated a sequence of teleportation and wormholes. The first jump had put them in a room with the frozen form of an ancient man. He was revived and - while loopy as all get out - Moros had begun work on the weapon that would supposedly destroy the Ori.

While Gwaine assisted Carter in figuring out the Gate program, inside the cave Jackson and Moros had merged. That was when the merry-go-round ride of Gating and teleportation had started. For a couple of days, every six hours, or so, the Gate would active and they would find themselves on another planet.

The interior of each cavernous lab never changed. Each one was set up identical to the one before. Carter had her suspicions that the programming was not in the Dial Home Device, associated with each Stargate, but instead was linked through nearby obelisks that caused the actual teleportation.

Ba'al was assisting...sort of. Even the Ancient Merlin had gotten fed up with Ba'al at one point and used his abilities to silence to Goa'uld. Unfortunately, the quiet Ba'al didn't last beyond the time the old alien died. He soon reverted back to making his snide comments. When the blond Colonel had swallowed her pride enough to ask Ba'al for his help with the obelisk, his insult about her being not only human, but a female as well, sent her over the edge.

Gwaine watched, his finger on the trigger of his weapon, as she walked casually up to the Goa'uld and decked him. He flinched sympathetically, when the blow hit, but then chuckled at the arrogant alien lying on the ground, cradling his broken nose.

"You know, if you're not gonna help, then you're really not much use to us. And if you're not much use to us, then there's really no point in keeping you alive any longer. Wouldn't you agree?"* Carter said, giving the alien her most innocently sweet smile.

Ba'al had looked at Teal'c, then Percival, and finally Gwaine...searching for sympathy in their faces. All he found were malicious smiles and the wrong end of their weapons trained on him. All three men were waiting for the order to take him out of the picture once and for all. "I'd, uh, be delighted to help."*

Things went smoothly on the outside after that, for the most part, while in the lab Jackson's personality was being split in two: his own and Moros'. With that knowledge, he began building the weapon.

A part of Gwaine wished his Merlin would have stuck around. He knew that his friend would have relished in the chance to meet with and talk to the Ancient who had known his father, but time was short, and two old men telling stories about the past would not have been much help.

Shortly after Ba'al and Carter had started working together on the obelisk, Carter announced that they had found the command protocol. That was when things went south. The Stargate opened and Ori soldiers began pouring through. A good old fashioned firefight ensued, but they were soon overrun.

Dark clouds rolled in quickly and lightning erupted from the sky. Percival and Gwaine had looked at each other, both remembering Camlann. An aged wizard in red robes, stood high on a cliff and had called down a similar lightning storm upon Morgana's Saxons. The wormhole deactivated, and Carter began dialing out, almost immediately.

Vala ran towards the mouth of the cave, yelling over her shoulder about checking on Jackson. She didn't get far before the archaeologist came flying out, and landed on the ground next to them.

Mitchell ordered everyone through the Gate, just as Adria appeared at the cave entrance. The Orici held up her hand to blast them all, when Jackson stood up and met her energy bolt with one of his own. He yelled for them all to get through the Gate, saying he would be right behind them. Reluctantly, they complied...only to have the wormhole close behind them, and no sign of Jackson with them.

After the debriefing, Gwaine took a shower before he headed for some fresh air outside the SGC. He needed to touch base, find out if Merlin and Leon had made it home, and inform them about the situation.

* * *

The world sped by outside the car. Trees, now full of leaves, shadowed the winding road. Martha's fingers tickled the hair on the back of his neck, as her arm bridged the seat backs in the new Jaguar.

They had spent the night talking and sleeping happily in each other's embrace. When dawn came, Merlin had taken some time to do his morning stretches before heading out to the Crystal Cave for a while. He used the time to recharge and begin inputting the information he'd gained from Morgana, before going back to the manor.

By the time he and Martha left, it was later in the afternoon than he had anticipated. He wanted to get to the hospital in London and see Gwen, before visiting hours were over.

Leon stayed with Laney and the boys. Although, he wanted to see Arthur and Gwen, as well, Merlin could tell the ancient knight was still trying to come to terms with what had happened to Lancelot. The man had been a type of guardian angel to them both, even though Merlin didn't even know it until he had shown up at the lakeside. Leon, on the other hand, had talked to Lancelot, and knew of the dark-haired knight's presence throughout the centuries.

Deep down it was hitting Leon hard, Merlin could tell, but the older man controlled his outward emotions really well. Back in Camelot, Leon had always been a man whose moods had been easy to read. The current situation was very telling reminder of how much he had changed since those days. Merlin felt it was best if Leon stayed behind for the time being. The man needed to rest and find a way to come to terms with what appeared to be Lancelot's untimely end.

Merlin couldn't do that for him, but he hoped Laney might. Tapping the button on the steering wheel, he answered the incoming phone call. Merlin was surprised to hear Gwaine's voice on the other end.

"Hey, Gwaine. I thought you'd be gone for a few more days." Merlin said.

"Yeah...plans kind of took a turn on us. After you guys left, we went back into the mountain and got transported. Well, all of us, but Adria. She didn't seem to have a clue that anything had happened, and wondered where you and Leon went. Actually, she was a bit miffed that you had disappeared...and of course Ba'al was fuming about the sword." Gwaine started laughing. "He finally pissed Carter off so much, while they were working on getting the Gates fixed in order to get us home that she decked him! Laid him out flat! It was glorious!"

"That's great Gwaine, but you were saying Adria wasn't with you?"

"Naw. We were transported to another planet, and Adria got left behind. You'll never guess who we found there, though." Gwaine's voice lowered cautiously, obviously wanting to keep anyone from overhearing him.

"Who?"

"Your namesake. He was still alive...and frozen in stasis."

Merlin's eyes widened, "What?" He looked at Martha, to see if she had heard the same thing, or if it had been his imagination. The look on her face, as she drew her hand back and sat up straighter, told him she had.

"Yeah. Listen, I gotta go for right now, but a lot more happened that I really can't get into right now. Percival and I are going to hang around here for a while. See if we can help out SG-1 a bit. And, don't worry, I already called my sister to give her the heads up, too."

"Why...?" Merlin knew they were going to need some downtime, after what they went through. Plus, he wanted to be in a position where Arthur could accompany them to Celestis. He just wasn't sure he wanted to let Gwaine out of his sight for too long.

"Well, in the middle of this all, Dr. Jackson kinda merged his mind with this Merlin and then, he didn't make it through the gate with the rest of us. I'd like to stay here, help with the search for him." His voice lowered even more, "He'd nearly completed building the weapon using some Ancient technology when we were separated, but he still didn't have the last piece. I don't think it's something that can be fabricated like that either. Anyway, I gotta go. I'll call you later."

Merlin sighed, as the phone disconnected. If the weapon had been built from scratch, and was now possibly in the hands of Adria and the Ori, it couldn't be good. He slowed down, as the road ahead of them began merging with more cars and the city spread out before them.

"It'll be alright. You said you have the Sangraal crystal, yeah?"

Merlin nodded. Leon had given it to him on their trip home. It was now safely tucked away in the Crystal Cave along with the staff and the sword, for the time being. He worried about the other things Gwaine had said. Jackson and Moros had merged? Merlin couldn't wait to hear the rest of that story. He felt a pang of regret, that he hadn't stayed with the others to possibly meet the man that had known his father.

Patting his leg in comfort, Martha smiled at her husband. "Let's focus on Gwen and Arthur for now. Gwaine can help out at Stargate with Percival, in case they find out anything more concerning Dr. Jackson."

* * *

Arthur glanced up, as the door opened. He exhaled in relief, when he saw Merlin's smile peek through the gap. He motioned his friend back out, and followed him quietly. Gwen was sleeping. A band around her belly monitoring the tiny heartbeat inside her, while her own arms were hooked up to other lines that kept track of her own vitals.

"How is she?" Merlin asked, the moment door to the room closed.

The blond man looked between Merlin and Martha. He shrugged. He was confused by all the information the doctors had been giving him. His hand itched for a sword. Being in this sterile place, and not being able to protect his love from the situation was making him antsy. "How did the trip go?" He asked, not wanting to talk about his fears concerning Guinevere and the baby.

"It...went. It was rather uneventful."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you are still a horrible liar."

Offering his friend a cheeky grin, Merlin ducked his head. "Yeah, but it's nothing that can't wait. Seriously, what is the news on Gwen?"

Arthur gave a nod of understanding. It still amazed him how his friend would put almost everything aside, just for him. "She's doing alright. They want to do this thing tomorrow." He paused and gazed back toward the room. "I'm glad you're here, Merlin."

"Me, too." Merlin smiled encouragingly, "Let's go grab a cuppa while we can. Martha will be here, if Gwen wakes up." He didn't give Arthur a chance to argue, as he pulled his friend down the quiet corridor of the hospital, toward the lifts.

They spoke over the coffee's, and Arthur began to relax as Merlin relayed the stories. Leaving out key elements that would possibly stress his friend.

"He really thought you were...well, me?" Arthur chuckled in disbelief.

Merlin nodded and smirked, "He did. At least until Adria opened her mouth. It was the sight of the sword that drew her out, more than anything, I believe."

"Well, seeing the blade that killed you, it's probably understandable. So, when are we going?"

His friend shrugged, "That's up to you. I think Gwen will want you to stay around for a bit with her and the baby."

Arthur rolled his eyes. He would do it for Guinevere, but babies were messy, loud, and other than his toddler son, the former king had never been around them. "Oh, come on, Merlin. It's not like I can nurse it or anything. That's a woman's duty. Once Guinevere is safe, we should go ahead and leave. Besides, she'll have Martha, Francine, and maybe even Laney to help her."

"If I took you out of here that soon, your wife would kill me."

"She'll probably kill me, if I stick around. I have no clue about babies. I would only be in her way." Arthur's nerves were nearly at their end. He knew his wife was a capable woman, and had never excluded her from matters of the court. He recalled fighting along side her in Ealdor and other times. "Caring for infants is a woman's work," he stated with an authoritative tone.

Snickering at the old fashioned sentiment, Merlin sipped his coffee. "You're scared."

"I don't get scared, Merlin." His words were a shield around him. Deep inside, he refused to even admit to himself...he was terrified.

* * *

The following day was hectic, with people rushing around the room prepping Gwen for the surgery. For Arthur it was a blur. He argued with his wife about him being in the room with her. His nervous energy caused her blood pressure to raise to a point where Martha intervened and told Arthur to back down, or the doctors would have to remove him.

Merlin had pulled the surgeon off to the side and spoke with the man about his unique abilities. Thankfully, the man had once been a UNIT surgeon, and understood the basics of otherworldly abilities. It was decided that Merlin would be in the OR with Gwen to make certain nothing happened to her, while Arthur was to stay in the waiting room with Martha.

The warlock was still exhausted over the situation with Morgana, but he pushed past that to be with Gwen. He explained that if everything went smoothly, he wouldn't interfere and would wait to heal her at a more discreet time. Arthur grumbled, venting his concern and stress through insults thrown at Merlin, until he was escorted out by the staff.

Francine came by with Aurie, so the little boy could see his mother. She left shortly afterward, promising to bring him back once things settled down.

A high-tech bed, covered with clear hard plastic, was prepped and set against a side wall, ready to receive the new baby. The chances were good that the preemie infant would be fine, but the doctors explained that the baby would need specialized care in order to facilitate that. After being covered in surgical scrub gown, Merlin held his friend's hand, while she was wheeled into the OR.

Sitting, then standing, then pacing...Arthur couldn't seem to find anything to comfort his frayed nerves. He watched the clock on the wall tick by in one second increments, each one seemed to move slower than its predecessor.

Leon had called to check in. There was no news yet to give him. Percival sent a text, and still the response was the same. Mickey received the same answer. Each time, Arthur grew more nervous.

He mused about what would have happened, if he had been with Guinevere when Aurie joined the world.

Hunting? Joining a patrol, or out on a quest of some sort; perhaps dealing with the council...Hell, anything would have been better than just sitting in a windowless room, with the most uncomfortable chairs known to all of existence.

Arthur's mind began to wander. He wondered if his father had been around for his birth, or if Uther had found himself similarly searching for a distraction, only to come back and find his wife had died in childbirth. It was a common occurrence back then, but it didn't mean it was an easier burden to bear.

He thought about the time Morgause had summoned Ygraine. Merlin had convinced him it was a trick of evil magic. But now, as he contemplated the situation more, he knew that had been the lie. He'd had his sword pointed at his father, ready to strike the final blow, when Merlin and Leon had come bursting into the room.

It always came back to Merlin, even then. Arthur had been forced to come to terms with it all...the new world, no longer being king, Merlin having magic. Part of him still wanted to balk at the idea. Merlin was a different man now, but still the loyal friend he'd always been. The things Arthur had learned from him...just to survive in the modern age...were astounding.

What would his father have thought about all of this? Had Uther, like Mickey, been reborn? Had his mother? Would something like the level of technology and medicine available to Guinevere now, have saved his own mother?

"What are you thinking?" Martha asked, drawing him out of his mental ramblings. "You look sad."

Arthur sighed and flopped heavily into the chair next to his best friend's wife. "My mother. I never met her. She died the day I was born."

Martha reached out and took Arthur's hand. Giving it a squeeze, she smiled at him comfortingly.

The door that separated the waiting room from the rest of the hospital ward opened. They both looked up in anticipation.

A nurse came through and smiled at him.

"Guinevere?" Arthur asked in a hoarse voice.

"She's already on her way to recovery. Everything went fine, Mr. Pendragon. If you'll follow me, there's someone I think you'd like to meet."

He wanted to see his wife, but had been told that she might be a bit loopy after the surgery and want nothing more than to sleep. So, he followed the nurse through the doors and down the twisting corridors of the hospital, until they came to a locked set of doors. He was vaguely aware of Martha's continued presence behind him.

There was a security guard at a desk with a nurse on one side, and a cleansing station on the other. The woman he was following began instructing him on protocol for entering the room. His hands had to be sterilized and he was instructed to wear a mask, as the babies beyond were very susceptible to infections.

The room was bright and each wall was lined with stations that included clear plastic tubs hooked up with various equipment. It was eerily similar to the infirmary at the SGC, but with each bed being smaller and more contained. Only a small handful of them were being used. She led him to the far corner, where a man in a while coat was going over a small computer tab and comparing it to the current readings on nearby monitors.

He felt his heart seize at the tiniest human being he'd ever seen. It didn't even look fully human. The child was so small, it would fit in his cupped hands. Wrinkled pink skin had a slightly yellowish hue; and a plastic tube fed air into the baby's nose. He stood transfixed by the sight of it all. The legs were spread around the diaper and various other lines led off from arms and legs that were thinner than his little finger.

"Would you like to hold her?" The nurse's voice brought reality crashing in.

Her.

He and Guinevere had been told the baby would be a girl during one of the ultrasounds, but it wasn't until that very moment that he believed the technology had really been able to see into his wife's body.

She looked so frail, he feared even breathing near her...much less holding her.

Nodding mutely, his movements were mechanical, as the nurse instructed him to take off his shirt, and she fitted a robe over his shoulders. Skin to skin contact was the best for holding the fragile life, is what she said. It would keep the child warm and help with bonding.

He allowed himself to be lead to a nearby rocking chair, where he watched, still unable to speak. The baby was lifted out of the warm bed, and placed in his arms, against his chest, and covered with a warm blanket. Until that moment, it hadn't seemed real.

"What's her name?" The nurse asked, as she quietly and efficiently adjusted all the lines around Arthur.

He swallowed once, and then again. Hazy, blue eyes opened and blinked up at him from his arms. He was lost in a myriad of emotions. Arthur glanced up and saw Martha smiling nearby.

The doctor in her had taken the time to look at the charts, in order to help explain any questions Arthur might have had. His mind went briefly back to the conversation they had only minutes before.

He couldn't remember if he and Guinevere had chosen a name, but any possibilities they might have been considering were thrown out the window. He knew his daughter's name. "Igrane," he said, his voice was thick and heavy. "After my mother."


	11. Chapter 11

and you're always in my heart   
no matter where you are   
you are always in my heart   
and if you run you won't get far   
you can't out run the past   
you will never leave this house of glass  
~ Worship, House of Glass

 

* * *

Damp leaves brushed against his shirtsleeves. His thighs ached in a way they hadn't since he was child, however long ago that may have been. It was embarrassing the way he'd nearly become unseated when the horse underneath him shook it's head. Part of him refused to understand why this was so difficult. He used to be one of the best riders in Camelot. Hell, his family had owned the best broodmares in the kingdom, aside from the Royal Stables.

Leon barely managed to duck under a low-hanging branch to avoid being knocked to the ground. The boys were ahead of him on the trail, each on their own horses, and Laney was behind him, snickering quietly.

"You do realize I have not been actually on a horse in...well, let's just say, it's been a long time." He turned in the saddle to glare at her.

"Yep. But, it's not gonna stop me from teasing you about it. My brother said you were an amazing rider. Heck, one of the best jousters he'd ever seen. Now, I've seen the mock jousts at the festivals, I know that takes skill. You just need to get your seat back." She smiled sweetly at him and then pointed ahead. "Might want to..."

Leon felt the next low branch hit him, before he had a chance to turn back around. He'd never felt so unsteady and the sudden battle he found himself in, with leaves and twigs, startled the horse underneath him. The mare he was on bolted sideways, and he felt the ground rushing to meet him.

The boys ahead had stopped and turned around to see what the commotion was about. Greg and Randy were cackling, while Toby rushed to retrieve Leon's horse. Meanwhile, Laney had dismounted and came over to give him a hand up.

Accepting the proffered hand, he stood up and brushed himself off, in an attempt to maintain some amount of dignity. Leon looked down at the woman next to him. He was close enough to smell the citrusy scent of her shampoo, and he couldn't help but smile. Tipping her chin up, he bent to kiss her, no longer worried about the boys seeing them.

Greg was still uneasy about his mom's new beau, but the other two had accepted their mom's relationship extremely well. From Laney's description of how her ex had treated the boys differently, he understood why. Greg had been the only actual planned child from their relationship, and therefore was his father's favorite.

The knight felt angry on Greg's behalf for the betrayal the boy had experienced when his dad hadn't even bothered contacting him on his ninth birthday. It wasn't for lack of information, as Laney had gone out of her way to keep cell phone numbers the same, and had even forwarded all the new contact information to the lawyers, common friends, and her ex's parents. Unfortunately, Greg didn't want to believe that his dad would forget his birthday and blamed Laney for it.

Toby understood his own dad was probably never going to come looking for them, or try to contact them. The teenager had experienced the pain of his father's faults too many times to even want the man to return to their lives. Before running off with a new woman, the relationship between Toby and his father was already strained, as the teen had been acting out, in rebellion against the upheavals in his life.

It was something Leon had understood and had slowly begun to work on, as he inserted himself into their lives.

Leon had to give Gwaine credit for trying to pick up the pieces left behind, but the previous year had been hard on his friend. He couldn't imagine having grown up in this world, and then waking up in a nearly forgotten place in history. Having nearly died before being pulled back to modern day, and then thrown into a life where he was forced to change from being the carefree knight to a caretaker of a family, had been difficult at best. Stepping into the role of a father figure had stressed out the younger man who already had so much on his plate.

Leon took it upon himself to offer Toby the guidance and direction that Gwaine seemed ill-equipped to do. He'd begun teaching the teenager how to spar, and had even taken him on a short jaunt out into space for a few days. Although, both he and Toby had agreed  _not_  to tell Laney exactly what they had done. As strong as Leon and Laney's relationship had grown, he didn't think she would have appreciated him taking her son on a smuggling job.

Leon felt a boost of pride when Toby had asked to start calling him Dad, even though he understood there was nothing formal about his mother and Leon's arrangement. The ancient knight had seen the tears of joy in his lover's eyes, when he had told her about the conversation.

He spent time with the younger boys, as well. Randy had latched onto him like a drowning man to a life raft. The youngest never even spoke about his real father, although Leon knew the boy hadn't forgotten, nor did Leon want him to. It made his heart feel light each time Randy smiled adoringly up at him. It reminded Leon of his own children, even though their faces were still a blur when he tried to recall them.

"What are you thinking?" Laney asked him teasingly.

Leon just smiled and kissed her again.

"Hey! Look what I found!" Greg's voice rang out through the forest, accompanied by sounds of excitement from his siblings.

Chuckling, Leon stepped back and offered Laney his arm, as they went to join the boys in their exploration.

They led Laney's mare through a dense patch of undergrowth, before finding themselves in a clearing. The other four horses munched noisily on the grasses, and gave no sign of wanting to bolt back to their stables.

Nestled back to one side of the small meadow was a heaping mound of vines and brush. Underneath, they could make out the remains of an old, stone house. Green leaves parted at what was once a second story window. Greg and Toby's grinning faces popped out, laughed, and were gone again before Laney could yell at them about her concern for their safety.

"Relax, let them be boys," chuckled Leon, as he shifted her grasp from his arm into his hand. He pushed open the rotting door, feeling parts of the remaining hinges crumble, and led her inside.

"How old do you think this place is?" She asked, stepping carefully on the dirt floor. Debris of plants and animals littered the room. To the right was a crumbling and rotted staircase that made her heart sink thinking of her kids climbing up it. To her eyes, it was being held up more by the tree growing through it, than anything else. "Hey! You guys be careful! Why don't you come back down here?"

A chorus of groans responded to her plea for their safety.

"I think this place is older than I am." There was a distance in Leon's voice, and Laney looked at him with concern.

His face was unreadable, as his eyes scanned the room. Suddenly, he wasn't seeing the dilapidated old house, but one that had been cared for and well maintained. He could almost feel the warm fire in the large central hearth, and hear the crackling of the wood as the pitch popped and hissed. Two women sat on stools, with frames in front of them holding the stretches of cloth they used for needlework. One was his mother, and the other, his wife.

Kids played up and down the stairs; two boys and a girl who was in between them in age. He could hear his father's voice grumbling about the king's levies, or the latest gossip of the court, while Leon sat nearby enjoying the rare bit of respite he had from his duties to the kingdom.

Stepping outside the door, he could almost envision the small hamlet that surrounded his family's summer home outside the city of Camelot. He looked back at the house and noticed Laney watching him carefully.

A crash from within, had her spinning through the door and yelling at the boys to be careful. It was a heartwarming sound to hear in the old place. He nodded to himself and smirked, "Elaine." He called out and waited for her to come back outside. "What do you think?"

"...Of?" She asked sceptically.

"This place. I know you're going nuts in the manor house."

"Oh, my fracking god! I swear, I can't even muck Pepper's stall, without that damned stable boy trying to give me advice. Oh, and don't even get me started on Harri the day I tried to wash dishes!"

He roared with laughter. "So, I ask again. What do you think?" He motioned at the ruins behind her.

Laney sputtered, "Um...well...Needs a roof, windows, running water, electricity, septic... Oh, hey, bathrooms would be nice, as would a kitchen...insulation...floors. Need I go on?"

"It would be quite a project, I admit. But the structure has good bones, and it has withstood the elements for nearly two millenia."

"Two thousand years! You're 'shitting me?" Her jaw dropped open in disbelief.

"Alright, perhaps it would be closer to sixteen centuries. My grandfather built this house and it's a miracle that it still stands."

Her eyes scanned the stones, barely visible under the foliage with new appreciation. "This was your house?!"

Everything in his life seemed to be coming together. He had his friends back in his life, as well as an amazing woman. Finding the old house among the dense forest was just another blessing. He remembered Lancelot telling him that he wouldn't be alone for long, just before Leon had accidentally beamed Laney aboard his ship instead of Gwaine. At the time, he had no idea what the Ascended knight was referring to. Now, he knew. Leon nodded, and decided then and there, what he wanted to do next.

Reaching out, he grasped Laney's hand and knelt in front of her.

"Fracking hell, Leon! Don't you dare!" She spat out and pulled her hand back, before he could voice the question on his lips.

* * *

Laney was fuming, because it was better than crying. She couldn't believe Leon would try to do that to her. Though she wasn't one-hundred percent certain that he had been preparing to propose, she couldn't think of any other reason for a man to get down on his knee in front of her. Marriage was the last thing she wanted. "Isn't what we have good enough for him?" She asked Pepper. The comb in her hand angrily ripped through the knots in her horse's mane.

Taking a breath, she stepped back and dropped the comb into a nearby bucket of grooming supplies. She got even more angry with herself for taking her emotions out on the coarse hair, even though the mare didn't seem to notice.

"May I assist you, mum?" The stable hand asked with cool politeness, coming up to the stall door.

Normally, Laney would have had a few choice words for him, but right then, the horse needed taken care of, and she was in no mood to be gentle. She gave the mare a hug around the neck and a pat on the shoulder. "Yeah, could you please give her a good rub down? Thanks."

Brushing past the stunned young man, she barely kept herself from running back to the house.

With a beer in her hand and a smoke hanging out of her mouth, she found herself a quiet place in the garden and fought against the emotions running through her. Her hand trembled as it brought the bottle to her lips, and she wondered, once again, why Leon couldn't have left well enough alone.

* * *

Gwaine cursed again, while Percival sat snickering from the passenger seat. The old Land Rover seemed to be running that morning, before they headed into town. But, it was becoming obvious that a lot more work needed to be done, as he limped it up the drive and set the parking brake in front of the garage.

The two men had been back in the UK for nearly a month, waiting for word on when they were going to head out to find a dragon. They were both getting restless, even though they knew that their adventure would be coming soon.

After they had split off from Merlin and Leon, Gwaine and Percival had stayed on with SG-1 for a couple of weeks. The Stargate kept a log of the previous fifty addresses in the database, and they had accompanied SG's 1 and 3 on various exploratory missions, searching for Daniel Jackson. Sadly, none of the planets yielded any results. The archeologist, who had taken the Ancient-Merlin's consciousness into his mind, had completely disappeared.

Life moved on, however, and SG-1 was soon re-assigned back to their continuing mission of finding a way to defeat the Ori. Jackson was listed MIA; presumed captured by Adria. After that, there was nothing for the two knights to do at the SGC, so they had gone back home to wait.

After a month of living in London, Arthur and Gwen were overjoyed to finally be able to bring their new little one home from the hospital. Igrane was still tiny, but well on her way to becoming a healthy, beautiful girl with a full, dark head of hair. Aurie still wasn't sure about his new little sister, but he'd been getting so spoiled by everyone else, that he didn't seem to mind sharing his parents.

Nearly everyone had vacated the house that morning, in order to let the new parents have some quiet time without interruption.

Gwaine hadn't planned on getting back so early in the afternoon, but the ageing vehicle was determined to run as horribly as possible, once they'd hit the open road. Reluctantly, they had turned around and came home.

He slammed the door as he got out, and glared once more at Percival when he noticed his large friend looking past him. Turning around, Gwaine saw his nephews and Leon coming out of the table. He looked for his sister, but didn't see her anywhere. "Hey," he called out. "Where's Laney?"

Leon's face flushed and he shrugged. Telling the boys to head into the house and wash up, he made his way over to Gwaine. "Not sure. She rode back ahead of us." He smiled tightly at the two men.

"I'll go see if the kids need help." Percival gave as a flimsy excuse to abstain from the coming conversation. Judging by the look on his friend's face, he suspected there was a lot more coming.

"What happened?" Gwaine asked, once they were alone.

Shrugging again, Leon raked a hand through his hair. "I wish I knew. You remember my family's house in the village, east of here?" At Gwaine's nod, he continued, "We found it. Well, what remains of it. Everything seemed to be falling into place and I was contemplating taking the next step."

Gwaine suddenly burst out laughing. "Shit. Why would you do that?" He tried not to squirm under the glare he received from the older man.

"Why wouldn't I, Gwaine? I love her and the boys." Leon sighed and shifted his feet. "Will you speak to her?"

Sighing, Gwaine hung his head and nodded. The last thing he wanted, was to be caught in the middle of the emotional shitstorm he had seen coming. He's successfully managed to avoid it for the most part, with just the occasional intervention, and neither had actually asked him to interfere...until now.

Part of him wanted to tell Leon to just deal with it, but it wasn't just Leon and Laney involved anymore. He glanced over toward where the boys had gone. "Not that it will do any good, if she has her mind already made up. But, I'll try."

It took some searching before he finally managed to track his sister down. He plopped down next to her on the garden bench, lightly shoving her with his elbow. She startled and recoiled away from him, before turning and punching his shoulder for frightening her.

"Ow!" He rubbed at the spot that she had hit.

"Quit being such a baby."

"Quit being such a bitch," he responded and ignored the glare she sent him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just peachy-fracking-keen. Can't you tell?" She downed the rest of her beer, and lit another cigarette off the end of the one she had been smoking.

Gwaine chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "So...Leon asked me to find out what happened, and against my better judgement, I agreed. What gives? I thought you guys were happy playing house together."

"Until the asshole decided to want more than I can give."

"So, he proposed to ya, did he?"

"Nope," she drawled out, taking another drag off her smoke. "I didn't let him get that far."

Sighing, he withdrew his arm and slouched over his knees. "Why the bloody hell not? You guys are... I mean, damn! If I could have what the two of you have. Plus, the kids love him!"

"I don't want to get married, Gwaine. Not again."

"You say that like you've been married more than once." He snickered, and held out his hand for a cigarette, when she went for another herself. Pausing as he took it from her, he stared at his sister. She was avoiding looking at him, and it made him suspicious. "You haven't, have you?"

Laney shifted nervously. She started to shake her head 'no,' before finally nodding with a heavy sigh. "Technically, I've been married three times. Twice to the boys' dad."

"...And the other time?" His eyes were the size of saucers at the new information.

"The first time I caught my ex cheating. You and I weren't speaking at the time. Even if we had been, I think you were off for the summer in some other country with your College or Marine buddies. I freaked out, left Toby with his grandparents, and went on a bit crazy...like I did when I was sixteen."

Gwaine sat up and blinked. He remembered getting a call in the middle of the night nearly two decades before. Laney had been admitted to the hospital when she was sixteen for a drug overdose. It had been one of the scariest moments of his life, but one they had never spoken about since. He reached out and took her hand, unable to find any other way to express what he felt.

"I didn't end up in the ER, but...Hell, I don't remember much. I got divorced, and two days after the papers were signed, I ended up marrying my fracking dealer on a trip to Vegas. I had been the only one in the house with a legitimate job, which I got fired from for taking off to Vegas and not calling in... go figure. I went to pick up Toby, and came home to find the bastard in the sack with another woman.

"We got into a fight and next thing I knew, he was beating the crap out of me. The other chick was strung out and egging him on. I managed to grab my kid and got the hell out of there.

"I called Jason...begged for help...got my act cleaned up...divorced again. Then, Jason and I got married...again."

Gwaine let out a sour laugh. "You just said his name twice, I didn't think you were capable of such a feat."

Rolling her eyes, Laney continued her story. "We were good for a while. Went through counseling, had Greg, then I got the call that Boyd was in the hospital and you were MIA. You pretty much know the rest from there. Randy wasn't planned, but I wouldn't give that little bugger up for the world. I think he was maybe a month old, when I caught Jason's wandering dick...again. That time though, I had Boyd on my side. He made sure to let me know it was for the kids and not me. The asshole moved off the ranch and in with..."

"His current wife?"

"Nope. The one before that."

"Fracking hell!" He was floored by finding out so much had happened in his sister's life, and began appreciating her more for the support she'd been giving to him. How she had maintained her sanity was beyond him.

"So, as illogical as it may seem; me, plus marriage, equals a man who will cheat."

"Leon would never do that to you."

She shrugged, "Yeah, but...I'd rather not take that chance. Plus, he has that whole immortality thing. Who's to say ten or twenty years down the line, when I'm getting older and he's not, that he won't go looking for some younger and tighter ass."

She tossed the butt of the cigarette on the ground and crushed it under her heel. "I don't think that fact really hit home until today, when he was off in la-la land, daydreaming about an old pile of rocks that used to be his home."

"Shit."

"Yep."

"I love ya, 'Lane, but you are one screwed-up bitch. You know that?" Gwaine laughed and saw the faintest hint of a smile on his sister's face. "You want me to talk to him for ya?"

"Naw, I just needed some time to cool off and vent. I'll figure out something."

He was thankful that she didn't want to bring him into the middle of the situation, but Gwaine felt like he needed to do something to protect his sister. "So, this dealer jerkwad...where can I find him to kick his ass?"

"Killed in jail a few years back."

"Shit."

"Yep."


	12. Chapter 12

Merlin smiled as he looked around the table. Never, in all his centuries of life, had he imagined such a heartwarming scenario. Warm food was spread out in front of them, and the entire room was filled with laughter and love. It was almost perfect.

Arthur and Gwen sat next to each other. She was trying to keep Aurie, who was in a highchair by her side, from throwing his food everywhere and making a complete mess, while Arthur held their little girl and laughed at his son's antics. They had adjusted amazingly to the modern world, and each seemed better for it.

Merlin's friendship with Arthur had started out under an unbelievable amount of duress, but they had come through and were stronger because of it. Arthur finally accepted Merlin as his equal, and Merlin learned how to be more patient with the uprooted, Dark Ages king.

Percival, Gwaine, Mickey and Leon were at one end of the table, jabbering on about cars, ships, weapons, and who knew what else. Merlin heard a muffled, teasing comment about a new bruise Leon sported on his cheek, from his battle with a tree earlier in the day. Toby sat with them, adding his own commentary about the ride, and the ruins they had discovered.

Next to Merlin, Martha held his hand lightly, while she spoke with Laney about the boys' schooling the next fall. Before, Martha wouldn't have been as interested in the local school system, but the slight bulge of her belly was just beginning to show. Now, she had a personal reason to consider primary schools, even though it would be years before their child would attend.

Laney's younger boys had already finished eating, and had scampered off to play. Their rushing feet could be heard echoing softly through the halls as they played tag, or some other game of chase.

Everything was almost perfect. Only a few things still needed to be taken care of before it would be, and then, they could all get on with their lives.

'Soon,' thought Merlin, with a glance to the sky out the large windows, as if the white dragon could somehow hear him from this distance. Merlin still didn't know how he was going to find her, once they were in Celestis, or if Aithusa would even want his help. '

He was nervous for either outcome. If Aithusa did accept, and the two of them were able to heal the broken bond, it would mean that his long life would continue. He couldn't imagine saying goodbye to the friends and loved ones he now had, gathered around the dinner table. A part of him wondered if he would be strong enough to move on once more, after Martha and their child had passed from this world.

On the other hand, if Aithusa refused him, he knew that death would finally accept him in a few years' time. In some way, he wondered if that would be a preferable choice, to die before they did and not have to bury anyone else he loved. Although, he knew there was one other possibility. He gazed at Leon for a few moments.

The ancient knight was as old as he was, and finally Merlin knew why. A choice needed to be made soon concerning that. Leon looked up, feeling Merlin's eyes upon him. "What?" The blond knight asked, shifting uneasily in his chair under the awkward look Merlin was giving him.

Drawing a deep breath, Merlin decided that now was as good of time as any to take care of the issue. "I don't know how to tell you this, my friend. But, I'm in love with Martha. What you and I have...just...doesn't fulfil me."

"The hell are you talking about, Merlin?" Gwaine asked, turning toward the warlock with a laugh.

"Leon...I want a divorce."

The other man choked on his drink. "...What?"

Merlin stood and walked to a sideboard next to the wall. He pulled out the Cup of Life and set it on the table, He then pulled out the book he'd been reading the past few weeks. "It seems that when I held this Cup to catch the rain, in order to save Arthur from the bite of the Questing Beast, it activated the Cup. You were the first one to actually drink from it...though it was years later...thus, completing the marriage ceremony."

Arthur had picked up the chalice and was eyeing it up. He promptly dropped it when the realization hit him. "You mean, you and Leon...actually...? Oh, dear gods, I hope you two never actually...you know..."

"...Consummated the marriage? Well, I'm not usually one to kiss and tell...but..." He winked at Leon.

Leon grinned and played along by blowing Merlin a kiss across the table. "I think Hunith would have approved."

"Fracking hell! And you didn't invite us to the wedding? How rude is that?" Laney jumped in, smacking Leon playfully on the shoulder, while motioning to herself and Martha. She backed down the moment Leon turned to her with a glare.

For a minute, Merlin wondered if something had happened between the two of them. He pushed the thought out of his mind, not wanting to get involved in a lover's quarrel. Perhaps, he should have waited to bring up the actual purpose of the Cup until a later time.

"Arthur, you aren't jealous that Merlin didn't use the Cup specifically on you?" Leon smiled triumphantly, when Arthur sneered at him.

"Come now, Leon. You know Arthur isn't Merlin's type." Gwen added, squeezing her husband's hand. She glanced at Merlin, who appeared to be studying the ceiling. "He isn't your type...is he, Merlin?"

Martha was rolling with laughter, and Arthur was flushed with embarrassment.

When the warlock pretended to look embarrassed, it sent Arthur in a fit of indignant sputtering. The former king found himself at a loss for words, causing all of the others to laugh even harder. Finally, throwing his hands in the air, Arthur gave in and joined in the merriment with the rest of them.

"I feel so left out!" Gwaine reached out and picked up the Cup. He got down on his knee in front of Percival, holding it out like an engagement ring, while ignoring the cold stare from his sister. "Will you do me the honors?"

"Sorry, Gwaine. I don't think my boyfriend would like that very much."

"Aw...wait. What?!"

"Well, I'll be damned." Mickey chuckled, as if he wasn't completely surprised to hear about the development.

"Oh, Percival. You must bring him around to meet us." Gwen stated, smiling at her friend. She was a bit uncomfortable with the idea, but she had learned that many things were viewed much more openly in this century.

Arthur coughed, not nearly as relaxed about the idea, but knowing that it wasn't his place anymore to question such things. "Yes...ahem...you must." He gained a smile from his wife for his attempt at keeping an open mind.

Percival looked over them all with a serious face. He suddenly burst out laughing. "You are all so gullible, you know that?" He noticed the barely concealed smirk on Martha's lips, as she nodded at him. Occasionally, Gwaine, or one of the others, teased Percival about his lack of interest in a relationship. It had been Martha's idea to throw everyone for a loop the next time someone, mainly Gwaine, brought it up.

"Alright, Merlin. Do tell us the story of this Cup!" Gwaine finally said, calming his laughter, and making it back to his chair.

Merlin nodded and snatched the Cup back from Gwaine. "Among my people...by the Gods, that still sounds so weird... _my_  people. Anyway, among the Dragon Lords, or Furlings, in order to not suffer the heartache of losing a loved one to old age, they created this Cup. It contains some sort of technology, that sort of links their lives, in a similar way that I am linked to the dragon...but, without the drawback of suffering when the other one is.

"By drinking directly from the cup, after a Dragon Lord has activated it, you became my 'life-mate.' So, that's why you've never been able to age."

He watched as his words filtered through Leon's mind. Although Leon had expressed a desire for a normal life and being rid of the immortality, when faced with the actuality of it... Merlin knew from his own experience...it was a lot to process.

"Wow." He said in surprise. After a while, he asked, "It can be undone, then?"

"It would appear so." Merlin told him softly. He wondered if Leon was truly ready to give up his apparent immortality. Squeezing Martha's hand, he smiled at her. He'd already explained to her what he had found out, but she hadn't made a decision yet. It would mean a longer life for her, and the possibility of watching her own family age and die without her. It was something which Merlin knew, from experience, was a very hard thing to do.

Merlin pulled a thumbnail drive from his pocket, and tossed it to the knight. "What I have found out, is all on there. I'm still looking into trying to find out what would actually happen, if we do it."

"You don't know what will happen?" Merlin shook his head in response. "I...I'm going to need to think about all this. Excuse me." Leon pushed his chair back and smiled at his friends, before exiting the room.

Gwaine had watched his sister shift her gaze between the two men, as she listened to Merlin's explanation. After which, he caught her eyes and tipped his head to the side, indicating that she should go after her lover. She sat for a minute, chewing her lip. Glancing around, it suddenly occurred to her that her eldest son was gone. Laney bit back a groan and quietly excused herself.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Gwaine was barely listening to the others, as they continued to talk and joke lightly. He was thankful when his phone vibrated, giving him a temporary distraction.

He saw Mitchell's number on the caller ID and answered it.

_"Hey, buddy. Are you sitting down?"_ Mitchell asked quickly.

Gwaine's eyes narrowed at the tone of his friend's voice. "Yeah."

_"We got Jackson back."_

"But...?" He snapped his fingers and everyone in the room went quiet. Gwaine pushed one of the icons on his phone. "You're on speaker."

_"Well,"_  Mitchell continued, " _like I was saying, we found Jackson. He still seems to have Old Merlin's personality mixed with his, but that's not the real issue."_

"What is the issue?" Merlin asked, intrigued that he might still have a chance to speak with his namesake.

_"He's insisting on speaking to you, Emrys. But, Adria's kind of, sort of, turned him into a Prior. We're keeping him on board the Odyssey. So, if you'd like to join us...Well, let's just say the sooner the better at this rate. Especially, because Woolsey and the IOA have already tried to stick their noses into the situation."_

"What do you need us to do, Colonel Mitchell?" Arthur asked. He leaned forward on the table, with his hands folded in front of his mouth. His eyes shifted to meet Merlin's. They each shared the same thought. If Jackson had been turned, then their time to save Aithusa was quickly running out.

* * *

Glancing around the edge of the doorframe, she saw Leon ruffle Toby's hair. The two sat side-by-side on the front steps of the manor.

"She needs a vacation." Toby was saying.

Leon chuckled and nodded his head. "Don't we all."

"No. I mean, she needs a vacation with you. I saw what you did today, but I also saw her run away. She said 'no,' didn't she?"

"She didn't say no, exactly. She didn't really give me a chance to ask."

"I remember when she and my real dad got married. I think she wanted some big wedding, but instead, it was just them and me at some courthouse, or something. There might have been other people there, but I don't remember."

"I thought they were married before you were born?" Leon asked, suddenly intrigued by the young man's story.

Toby shrugged, "I think they were, but I don't know. I just remember them getting married, and she was kind of sad about it."

Laney covered her mouth to hide a gasp. She hadn't known that Toby remembered anything. For years, she had told herself that he was too young to have any recollections from that time.

"I don't think she ever went on a honeymoon, and I know we never went on a family vacation, or anything. Maybe if you took her on a vacation, she'd relax and see that, maybe this time, she wouldn't have to be sad. I'd watch my brothers!"

Laughing, Leon clapped the boy on the shoulder. He then turned his head and glanced at the door behind him. "What do you say, Elaine? Shall we go for a trip, just the two of us?"

She choked on a combination of laughter and tears. She finally sighed, and looked back and forth between the two. A break from it all sounded great. A time to just be with the man she cared for, even if he did want more than she felt she could give him. However, faced with the possibility of him questioning her reasoning, without any way off the spaceship, she faltered. "I don't know."

"It would be for just a few days." Leon fished the thumb drive out of his pocket. "I need to go see Heimdall, and see if she can make heads or tails of this. You could come with me and finally get to meet her."

"Mom, you need to go." Toby stated with an air of finality.

Gwaine would be pissed at her, if she didn't talk to Leon and get the air cleared. Perhaps, this was to be her golden opportunity. No kids; no brother; no distractions of any kind. If she was stuck on the ship, so too, was he. She threw up her hands in surrender. "Fine. Let me go pack a few things and say goodbye to the kids."

Toby held out his fist to Leon, who laughed at what had become a familiar sign of victory. The older man bumped his own knuckles against the boy's. He smiled when Laney rolled her eyes, though he could tell she was secretly pleased to see the two of them getting along so well...even if they were conspiring against her.

She went through the checklist in her mind for what had to be the dozenth time. Greg and Randy hadn't been happy to hear she was leaving them, and then, coming across her brother in the hallway had almost brought her plans of a few days of respite to a standstill.

Gwaine had been looking for Leon, when she informed Gwaine of their plans. She saw the look on his face and groaned, "Something happened?"

"Naw. It's nothing that the rest of us can't take care of. You guys go off and have a good time." He had assured her.

"You're just saying that because you don't want to get put in the middle again."

"Eh, maybe. But, seriously...go. I got the boys. If I have to leave, then Martha, Gwen and Harri will be here to take care of them. I think though, if you want my advice..."

"I really don't."

He had sniggered and given it to her anyway. "My advice is to tell him what you told me. He's been around a while, I'm sure he'll understand."

She had taken a deep breath, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "The whole story?"

"Every last bit of it."

After a warm hug, she had found Leon again, and been whisked off into space.

Laney watched the stars fly by outside the front window of the ship. It was peaceful out there, with only the hum of the engines in the background. She and Leon had only spoken briefly since they had jumped into hyperspace.

"Gwaine said he got a call from Mitchell. They found Dr. Jackson."

Leon looked up sharply and opened his mouth, but Laney continued to speak.

"He said they got it under control. So..." The sentence was left hanging with a shrug of her shoulders.

Grunting and nodding, Leon turned back to his ship controls, and they fell into silence once more.

"I only wanted to ask you, to prove to you how much I love you, Elaine...To show that I am committed to you and the boys." He said at length, purposely looking away from her.

"I know." She sighed and glanced at him with fear in her eyes. "But, to me, marriage means you have me, and in my personal experience, men don't want things they already have."

Leon gave a hearty laugh. He stood up and moved over to her seat. "That is a load of shit. I couldn't imagine ever  _not_  wanting you." He took her entwined fingers, unfolding them gently from one another. His thumbs caressed the backs of her hands. "Talk to me, Elaine. I want to understand." His voice was low and soothingly.

She nodded, and began to quietly tell him her entire life story.

* * *

"You believe me, don't you?" Jackson asked quietly, with a hint of surprise. He was strapped to a chair on board the Odyssey, with the anti-Prior devices humming softly nearby. The archaeologist's face was ashen, and his eyes were covered by a milky-blue film.

"I do." Merlin responded, leaning against a wall nearby. For hours, he'd sat in the room, looking out at the stars behind Jackson. It took nearly three days of Red Tape, and dealing with Woolsey's determination to eliminate Jackson because he was a Prior, before Merlin had been granted access. Although, by 'access,' it actually meant that Mitchell had snuck him into the room, and was standing guard on the other side.

Merlin was grateful for finally being able to speak with his namesake, and the conversation had been enlightening. He knew the members of the SGC were still skeptical about the validity of Jackson's claim, but there were things only Merlin knew from the data recordings in the Crystal Cave, that made him believe Jackson was on the level.

The man had claimed to have set himself up to be taken prisoner, after Adria had turned him into a Prior. He said that Moros had protected his mind from the process, so he could work from within and try to find a way to defeat the Ori. The original weapon he'd been building had been destroyed, but he had allowed Adria to convince him to make another...and it was almost complete.

She wanted it to destroy the Ancients, thus removing their existence from the Milky Way, and completely open to the will of the Ori. There was just one piece missing.

"It will be time consuming to create another Sangraal crystal, and I don't know if we have enough time. Ages ago..." Moros said, speaking with Jackson's voice, "I had given one to the Asgard for safekeeping."

Merlin glanced at the camera, to make sure it wasn't recording their conversation. He withdrew the Sangraal Crystal from his pocket. "I know. It has since come into my possession."

Jackson's eyes widened, "Then, we can complete my plan. If I finish the device and convince the SGC to shut down the Gate from the Pegasus Galaxy, a wormhole can then be opened from here to the Ori's galaxy. I can take a ship through, with the device, and use it to destroy the Ori."

It made sense to Merlin, as far-fetched as Jackson's plan was. "My dragon is still on the other side. I can take that opportunity to finally reach her, and hopefully save her."

"I can't be responsible for you and the knights aboard the same ship. I'm sure it will be under attack, the moment it emerges from the wormhole."

Merlin smiled, "You know, I do have access to a Gate capable of reaching Celestis. You're the one who put it in the Crystal Cave."

"So, you did find it?" Even under the film, Jackson's eyes sparkled.

"I have found a good many things in recent months, mostly about myself and how I'm part of a race called Furlings." He turned an accusatory eye on the dual-personality man.

After a bit of a chuckle over the memory, Jackson's face became contemplative. "We must plan this carefully. Our timing is critical. If you go through before me, it could alert them to the coming threat, but too late, and you may not be able to save the dragon from the followers of the Ori." Jackson then gave Merlin a heartwarming smile. "I think Balinor would have been proud of you."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Crystal" by Stevie Nicks are used in this chapter to help set the mood. I don't own them or Merlin.

 

_Do you always trust your first initial feeling  
_ _Special knowledge holds truth, bears believing  
_ _I turned around  
_ _And the water was closing all around  
_ _Like a glove  
_ _Like the love that had finally, finally found me_

_~Stevie Nicks, Crystal_

A soft beeping and a blinking light had Leon sighing and untangling himself from the sheets. Reluctantly, she let him go. She watched him for a moment, as his graceful, naked form walked across the small room to the chest that held his clothing. Closing her eyes, she tried not to think about what they had learned.

After dressing, Leon turned on the small computer display in his quarters. "There's a message from Gwaine. We need to return immediately."

Laney sat up and drew the sheets around her protectively. Returning to Earth would mean facing the truth, and delivering the news to Martha and Merlin about what had been discovered. It was not something she was looking forward to.

"Where the hell are ya?!" Gwaine's voice yelled through the communications system.

"I was under the impression that I wasn't needed for a while." Leon said in exasperation.

"Well, plans change. We've got a window and Merlin wants us to be ready to take it, ASAP. How long 'til you join us?"

"We're approaching Earth's upper atmosphere now. We should be on the ground in about thirty minutes." Leon disconnected the communication as he felt Laney's hands wrap around his torso. Finding her fingers, he threaded his own in between the spaces.

He looked over his shoulder into her warm, brown eyes.

"At least, you're still the immortal space boy, right?" She whispered against the bare skin of his shoulder blade.

Leon nodded and squeezed her hand.

"Make sure the other guys come back home, too."

"I will. When we do return, we'll figure this out, Elaine."

Chuckling against him, she asked, "Why can't you just call me Laney, like everyone else?"

"Because, I love your name. Just as I love you." He turned around in her arms and kissed her deeply.

She bit back a snicker and shook her head at the cheesy line. "Fracking romance novel hero." She wouldn't admit out loud how, deep down, she enjoyed nearly every minute of it. "Mmm. Well, we still have half an hour, right?"

"I need to send a message to Heimdall first, to check on the status of the Asgard ship that was sent to Celestis. Then, I'm all yours."

* * *

He felt like he had on his first day at Stargate Command. He stood and stared up in awe at the crystalline Stargate. He had seen it dozens of times since coming to the cave to save Merlin's life, but the air in place felt different today. For the first time, he knew they would be actually activating it.

Anticipation. Anxiety. Excitement. He was ready for it, and nervous at the same time. It wasn't as if they were going to just any planet in their galaxy. Instead, they would be going straight for Celestis...the heart of the Ori's power.

Percival was rechecking the supplies for their backpacks and the ammo counts for their weapons. Mickey would stay behind. The young man had a way with computers, and had learned the systems in the Crystal Cave better than any of the rest of them. It would be his job to stand watch against incoming threats if the Gate was discovered, or to call for outside help if it was need.

Torchwood was on standby to back them up if need be, and many of the defense activations had been routed through to the Hub. Once the wormhole was activated and connected to the Gate address that Morgana had given Merlin, the Ori - if Jackson's plan didn't succeed - would know that there was a Gate on Earth with the power to open a wormhole to another galaxy.

 _It was going to work,_  Gwaine told himself. They would go through, and kick the asses of the followers of Origin, while Jackson did his own thing to hopefully wipe out the Ori.

Gwaine had one thing left to do, and it was not a task he was looking forward to. He knew that once he made the call, someone outside their circle might have a clue about what they were planning to do. In his mind, in a flash of a memory, he saw Eira sitting on his bed and looking concerned that he was leaving; asking him where he was going.

Cursing at himself, he shook the thought away and reminded himself that Carolyn probably knew more than he did at this point. If he didn't call to at least let her know he was going to be out of touch for a while, he knew he could kiss what remained of their relationship goodbye.

Bringing up her number on his phone, he hit the call button and stepped outside the Crystal Cave while he waited for her to pick up.

His heart sank when he reached her voicemail. Glancing at the clock, Gwaine realized she was probably doing her morning rounds at the SGC. He hung up and redialed, deciding he would at least leave a message for her, in case he didn't have the time to call her back before they left.

* * *

_How the faces of love have changed,  
_ _Turning the pages  
_ _And I have changed oh,  
_ _but you...you remain ageless*_

Strong, slender arms slipped around her waist. A slightly scruffy chin under a mop of dark hair came to rest upon her shoulder with a sigh. She tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes, as his lips kissed gently along the length of her neck.

"I want to go." She said breathlessly. The lips halted and a huff of hot breath escaped.

"Martha..." He half-groaned against her skin.

"But, I won't, because of the baby."

"I know. If..." He sighed again. His hands moved lower to cover the slight bulge. The life inside her glowed brightly in his mind's eye. "Even with the baby, if you really want to..."

"No." Martha felt him relax the moment she said it. "You need to focus on the mission. I think I understand that a bit more now. I am just so worried about if you need a doctor with you, or...being left to be a single mother. I don't want to be a single mother, Merlin."

"I don't want you to be, either. If the worst should happen and..." His arms tightened, pulling her possessively against his chest. He chuckled softly. "My mother was amazing, and you would be, too."

"Do you think about her a lot?"

Merlin shook his head and stared out the windows in front of him. "Until recently, I don't think I'd allowed myself to."

"What happened to her?"

"Did I never tell you?"

"No." She wetted her lips and waited for him to talk.

"Hmm. Well, I'd been abroad on the continent. Peace treaties, wars...whatever we did back then. It was after Leon had disappeared. I know that, but I can't tell you how long afterward or anything. I came back home to find out that Ealdor had been ransacked by some upstart warlord. By the time I reached the village, there was nothing left."

She shivered at his voice, devoid of emotion, as he told the story. Typically, there was feeling behind every story he told; a passion that was part of what kept him going year after year, century after century. It was odd to hear him being so detached about something like his mother.

"I used magic to see if she'd been among those taken prisoner, but couldn't find any sort of sign... of anything." He chuckled, but there was no joy in the sound.

She wondered if he was even paying attention to his own words, as he continued. He was in different world, as he relived the memories.

"I think I'd become used to that. If it was someone I cared about, my magic was never able to find them after something tragic had happened." He inhaled abruptly and rolled his shoulders, forcing the melancholy away. He moved back to their original conversation. "You know, I'd love to have you at my side for this, right? I know our life together hasn't turned out anything like we thought."

"Maybe not. But, I think it's actually better." She placed a hand over his.

"You know, out of all my wives, I really think you are the only one who could have ever understood me like this, and have a clue about what I'm going through." He tried to bring up memories of the others, wondering how they would have reacted to all of this, and the fact he was about to leave through a gateway to another galaxy. Even Mithian might have had a hard time with this one.

"If you ever happen to see that Doctor friend of yours again, be sure to tell him I said thanks."

"What for?"

He grinned impishly and nibbled on her neck. "Letting you get away."

"Ha! Alright, I will."

They fell quiet, just watching the drizzling rain outside the window together. "I'm going to miss you. I think I've gotten rather used to being around you so much lately. Don't know what I'm going to do without you."

"I'm sure you'll manage." He heard his phone beeping an alert from a nearby table. He glanced at it, his eyes glazing over for a second as if he was thinking about ignoring it. Then, he nodded to himself and came back into the moment. "I better go get Arthur."

"Love you."

He smiled as he pulled away.

* * *

_I turned around  
_ _And water, was closing around me  
_ _Like a glove  
_ _Like the love that had finally, finally found me  
_ _Then I knew  
_ _In the crystalline knowledge of you  
_ _Drove me through the mountains  
_ _Through the crystal-like clear water fountain  
_ _Drove me like a magnet  
_ _To the sea*_

"I don't care if it's a lie, or that we really have no idea about anything out there. You're going to come home to me, right?" Thin fingers wrapped around his neck and threaded through his hair.

Gwen's soulful eyes held his blue ones. He could feel what she was truly asking for. She wanted hope, plain and simple. Arthur gave her a loving smile. "Of course I am."

Merlin stood off to the side and watched his friends from the corner of his eye. He and Martha had already said her goodbyes, and she had decided to stay back at the house with Laney and the kids.

He was grateful for that. As much as he loved her, he needed to focus on the task at hand.

The Ancient Moros, residing in Daniel Jackson's body, had a plan, and Merlin had given him the final piece needed to complete the weapon that would hopefully wipe out all Ascended beings in the Ori's galaxy.

All that was left, was for Jackson to come through on his part and convince the SGC to shut down their link from the Pegasus Galaxy to the Supergate in the Milky Way. At the same time that Jackson planned to dial out and send a ship through with the weapon, Merlin and the knights planned to go through the Stargate in the Crystal Cave to the Ori's homeworld of Celestis.

It was Merlin's hope that the human followers of the Ori would be caught up in panic and confusion over losing their masters, and not notice them coming through to find the captured dragon. The whole plan was flimsy at best, and hinged on a piece of technology that no one knew for certain would work.

Mickey's voice broke through his thoughts. "I hate to break up the party, but we've got an intercepted message. The Supergate wormhole has disconnected. There's an Ori ship - probably the one with Jackson on board- about to go through."

"This is it, then!" Gwaine grinned and cocked his weapon.

Merlin took a long, deep breath. His mind was centered, and he allowed himself to be truly quiet for the first time in months.

He felt a small smile forming. Despite his revulsion at knowing what the staff was, he had pushed past that and found the connection to the dragonkin through it. The power was there, calling to him just below the surface. It was weak compared to what he remembered of Kilgharrah, but the magic of the dragon inside it was undeniable.

He thought about Aithusa and wondered if he would be able to survive walking through the wormhole. Merlin was more prepared to deal with the assault of emotions and pain this time, or at least, he hoped he was.

Arthur and Leon would be going through first, to provide cover against any of the followers of Origin who might be guarding the gate; followed by Percival, himself, and Gwaine bringing up the rear.

Gwaine was in his own version of BDUs, the Battle Dress Uniform that was a standard in modern day military, but no longer needing to maintain the strict code of the SGC. Merlin allowed himself a slight grin, just the barest upturn at the corner of his mouth, thinking about his friend and descendant. He still couldn't believe how Fate had played her cards on that account.

Nervous but solid, Arthur stood ready to go. He also wore BDUs, similar to Gwaine's, but with one major exception. At his hip, hung his sword. Arthur had never officially named it, nor had Merlin. It was Gwen who had given the sword its name, and it wasn't until they had all come back together that she revealed she had guessed the origins of the sword long ago.

The former queen had confided to Merlin that she had recognized how similar it had been to the piece crafted by her father, and that was the name he had given it.

Leon was dressed as he normally was, not feeling the need to change his outfit to match his companions; pulse gun at his side, and various other weapons hidden on his person. After centuries of running and smuggling, he'd picked up more than a few tricks in the name of survival.

After training with Torchwood and sailing the stars with Leon, Percival had adopted his own manner of dress somewhere in between the others. He nodded at Merlin, signaling his readiness to depart.

Taking another series of deep breaths, Merlin opened his eyes and glanced at his companions. It was time and they were ready.

Reaching for the power within himself and extending out to tap into the power of the surrounding crystals, he focused his magic into the staff. It wrapped around and through the crystallized, infantile dragon at the head of the staff, and the power began to multiply.

When he felt it was enough, he called up a visual in his mind's eye of the Gate address Morgana had given him, and began feeding the power out through his hand and into the Stargate.

Unlike the Stargate at the SGC, this one was composed of crystals. There wasn't any loud grinding of metal circles and clanking of chevrons locking into place. The computing programs were within the crystals themselves, not an external Dial Home Device, or DHD, as those in the SGC called it.

One by one, the symbols of the address came to life. He could almost hear Walter's voice from the SGC calling out each one, even though Merlin had only been aparty to the Master Sergeant's annoucements a couple of times.

Chevron five, encoded. Six, encoded. Seven...normally the final one that locked into place to open the outgoing wormhole...came and went. Encoded, but not locked. Chevron eight lit up, locked, and the whole device came to life.

With a loud whoosh, the bulbous wave of power spouted forth from the ring, before it settled back into the event horizon. For a moment, Merlin pondered how it resembled the surface of a lake. Slight ripples cascaded across the glassy surface. They reminded him fleetingly of Avalon. He wondered about the significance of that lake, and his own personal history of sending those he loved through the mist to the other side.

Aithusa was on the other side. He stamped down the anxious energy that threatened to well up inside of him.

Mickey sent a remote camera through the Gate first, and they waited. They held their breath, ready or not, for whatever was on the other side.

Arthur and Leon were looking over Mickey's shoulder at the visual display. Arthur pointed at something, glanced at Leon, and they nodded in agreement. Moving in front of Merlin, he drew his sword and smiled.

The other three realized they weren't going to be filled in on Arthur's battle plan for the other side of the Gate. As it had been in the past, it was assumed that they would follow Arthur's lead.

They shared a look of amusement when the former king swung his sword in wide arch and gave a familiar battle cry. "On me!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Hey! So, in the excitement of the boys leaving, I never got to ask: how was your vacation?" Martha gave her friend hug.

The other woman chuckled, "I think I need a new definition of vacation."

"Why? What happened?"

"Long story." Laney sank into a chair on the patio next to her friend. The ice in her glass clinked against the edges, as she took a drink while staring off across the lawns.

Martha sat anxiously waiting. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "So...what happened? It seemed like the two of you had a bit of a row before you left. Did you get things straightened out?"

"Oh, yeah." Laney grinned, "That's all in the past. We were able to talk things out, and my god, make-up sex with that man is fracking mind-blowing." After she had explained her aversion to marriage, Leon had laughed. He swore he would never do such a thing to her, but promised to back off, until she was ready to believe it.

Martha howled with laughter. "So, then, what gives? Sounds like you had a great time, yeah?"

"First couple of days were awesome. Then, Leon took us to see his friend, Heimdall. He wanted to see if the little gray bugger could give him some clearer answers about the Cup, and the stuff Merlin found out concerning its origins. What we discovered, though...that was the kick in the pants."

Martha took note of the change in her friend's voice and held her breath anxiously.

"The Cup was corrupted, or the ceremony, or...I don't know. Something got screwed up along the way."

"What are you saying? It can't be undone?"

"Oh, it can be undone. But, instead of just removing the immortality..." Laney took another drink and frowned, "Every scenario and simulation Heimdall tried came back with the same thing. It would...uh...well, it'll kill him."

"Oh, my god." Martha gasped, bringing her hands up to her mouth. "There has to be something that this Heimdall was missing..."

"Laney, what happened in those simulations?" Gwen asked, coming upon the tail end of the conversation.

"The boys get sent off okay?" Laney asked. She and Martha had stayed behind with the children, while Gwen had gone to see her husband off at the Stargate.

Gwen nodded, "Now, tell me what you saw, please. Merlin and Leon have always been my closest friends. They were the last two people from Arthur's reign, and then my own. They stood by my side until..." The former queen took a breath and steadied herself. "I want to know what is happening to them both. What did you see?"

"Honestly?" At Gwen's nod, Laney hesitantly continued, "Most of them consisted of him suddenly bursting apart, as if every molecule in his body had been rigged with tiny little explosives."

Gwen glanced down and fiddled absently with her hands against her skirt. "I worried as much."

Looking at Gwen curiously, Laney continued, "Leon said he'd seen it before. One of the few things from those years in Camelot that he remembers...clear as day."

"Mmm. Arthur remembers it, too. Although, he has rarely spoken of it." Seeing the questioning gazes, Gwen told them the tale of when Morgana had taken over Camelot the first time, with the immortal army. "Sir Leon's patrol had been ambushed and left for dead. A group of druids had found him barely alive. That was when they had used the Cup to heal him. I was still Morgana's servant at that time, and I remember King Uther being in an awful mindset. He was determined to get that Cup.

"Arthur went out alone with Merlin to retrieve it. That was when they came across Gwaine again. Unfortunately, they lost the Cup and by the time they returned, Morgana and her sister had taken over the city." She chuckled lightly. "I remember, I helped Sir Leon escape from the dungeons and then the city by convincing him to dress as a woman."

Laney snorted into her glass. "I bet he looked better in a skirt than I do. I'll have to ask him to model for me some night."

"Oh, that is horrible, Laney! Funny, but horrible!" Martha laughed, "Go on, Gwen. What happened after you helped Lady Leon escape?"

"We caught up to the others and sought refuge in an old castle. Inside it was the original, stone Round Table. That was the night when Gwaine and the others were knighted. The next day they went into Camelot to face an immortal army. Afterward, Arthur confided in me that the worst part was not that they couldn't kill a single one of them, but that all at once, the enemy appeared to burst into nothingness.

"These were men who had seen many battles, and fought against monsters on a weekly basis. Yet, none of that seemed to compare to the way thousands of men were blasted into oblivion."

"I can imagine that would be extremely traumatizing." Martha whispered compassionately.

Gwen nodded. She was thankful that she had been back in the old castle at that time. Even though she was supposed to be helping Gaius, the old man had slipped away not long after the knights had left. "There were a few men who never recovered from the shock. Elyan had nightmares about it, as did Arthur, I believe."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they still did. Leon's face was white as a sheet, after he saw the simulations." Laney lit up a cigarette and stared out into the gardens recalling the haunted look in Leon's eyes.

Martha shook her head. She understood the kind of emotional mindset that followed such experiences, both from her training as a doctor and in her own life traveling with the Doctor. "There has to be something more that can be done."

"Heimdall mentioned cloning his body and transferring his consciousness. But, when she took a look at Leon's DNA, she said it had been too corrupted by the Cup to be viable. So..." She drained the remains of her glass. "Unless Merlin has some of Leon's DNA from before the Cup was used just laying around, I think we're at a dead end. Either Leon dies, so Merlin can use the Cup as it should have been used with you. Or, we keep getting old, and he and Merlin can really get married after we're gone."

"There might be one other option." Martha said with an excited gleam in her eye.

"Really? Because the only thing I can think of, is if you happen to have a friend with a time machine."

Martha grinned and picked up her phone. She realized that, while she had told Percival of her travels with the Doctor, she hadn't really explained her previous adventures to any of the rest of them.

"You don't have a friend with a time machine, do you?" Laney asked seriously. Her heart rate quickened in anticipation.

"Let me make a phone call, and see what I can come up with."

* * *

A cheeky grin and flippant voice called out from the blue police box that had suddenly appeared on the lawn. "Well, well, well, Martha Jones!"

"Martha Emrys." She corrected, her smile stretching across her face. It had been nearly three years since she had seen him, but she had no idea how long had passed for the Time Lord. It could have been days or centuries.

She rushed forward into his open arms and accepted the warm hug he offered.

"Emrys, eh?" He asked casually, before he finally recognized the name. His eyes and mouth became wide circles of disbelief. " _Noooooo!_ "

Laughing, Martha stepped back and nodded to confirm his amazement. "Yes."

"As in...Merlin, the magical magician Emrys?" He stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets and bounced on his heels in delight.

"Yes.  _The_ Merlin Emrys of Camelot."

"Blimey! Ain't that just the bee's knees! You married one of the few people in the universe actually older than I am. That is something." He embraced her again, delighted that she had moved on and seemed happy. "So, where is this mystical man of the millennia who married my Martha?"

She rolled her eyes at his alliteration.

"Martha Emyrs. Naw, just doesn't have the same ring to it. Martha Jones just rolls off the tongue. Martha Jones-Emrys...hmmm"

"Oh, stop it. I married him and that's done."

"And got some little ones coming, too, eh?" His eyes moved to her abdomen.

"Yeah...wait. What did you say?"

"I don't know. What did I say?"

" _Doctor!_ " She huffed and crossed her arms. "You said 'little ones.' Plural!"

"Oh, right. Little ones. Yep." The 'p' popped out of his lips. He rifled his hand through his hair, causing the fluffy, brunette spikes to become even more of a mess. The Doctor's eyes shifted away in guilt. "Sorry about that. Was it supposed to be a surprise?"

Martha closed her eyes and took a breath. When she had steadied her temper, she looked him in the eye. Pointing to her own growing belly, she asked, "Are you telling me there is more than one in here?"

"Uh..." The momentary somber expression broke into a wide grin. "Maybe."

"Oh, my god."

Before she could even begin to process the idea of having more than one baby, he suddenly changed the subject. "So, you didn't answer my question. Where's the lucky man?"

Martha's mind was spinning. It took her a moment to remember what he had asked and why she had called him. "He's off in another galaxy right now. Trying to save a dragon, actually. But, that's got nothing to do with why I called you. At least, not directly."

"Is that so?"

"Well, there is this thing called the Cup of Life."

"Oooh. The fabled ceremonial marriage cup of the Dragon Lords. Wait, he's a Dragon Lord? Didn't see that coming, or maybe I did. Hmmm. I've never actually met a Dragon Lord, or a dragon, come to think of it."

Martha nodded and then shook her head with a giggle. So many things had changed in her life since the last time she had seen the Doctor, and yet he remained the same. He was still the unaging man who rambled out any thought that crossed his mind.

There was a sadness to him, but also a new sense of freedom. It was as if he was completely unburdened by the effects of his actions; freed from the rules of Time he used to hold so close to his two beating hearts.

"So, are we off to retrieve this Cup so you can truly marry your Dragon Lord?" His eyebrows bounced on his forehead.

"No. Actually, the Cup was used on a friend of his back then. It corrupted his DNA and we need a sample from before it was used in order to fix it."

The Doctor smiled like a boy at Christmas. "Oh, this is going to be fun. Just like old times."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Martha asked again.

The blue box stood off in the distance. Laney chuckled quietly as she watched her eldest son run in and out of the door in wonder. She couldn't see what had him so excited about a police box, and she honestly didn't want to know. "Naw. You guys have fun on your trip. I need to spend some time with my little guys. Plus, I probably should actually help out Gwen, since that's what I was technically hired to do."

"If you want to go, Laney, you should go. I can watch your boys. With Harri's help, the kids and I would be fine." Gwen offered, giving her friend a chance to change her mind. "If it wasn't for disrupting whatever nonsense that man was spouting..."

"Disrupting the space-time continuum and possibly creating a paradox by crossing your own timeline?" Martha smiled pleasantly as if the words she had just spouted were as simple as a grocery list.

"Yes, that's it." Gwen still didn't understand half of what the other woman had said. "Anyway, I thought you would jump at a chance to see Leon back in the day."

Laney sighed. She hummed and hawed for a moment. "Nope. He was married back then and had his own kids, right? I don't think I could stop myself from wanting to rip another woman's hair out of her scalp, if I saw her kissing my man."

"Now, that would be a sight to see. I'm not sure who I would place a wager on...you or the Lady Bridgette."

"You don't think I could take her?"

Gwen shrugged innocently. "Lady Bridgette was a very strong woman. During the first year of my being queen, she was one of the few who outwardly supported Arthur's decision. Many times, she assisted me in dealing with the other nobles and learning to be a ruler instead of a servant by putting them in their places. Not many back then would have chanced her wrath openly."

"Yeah. That's probably the best reason right there for me to keep my ass in my own timeline. That's part of Leon's history. I don't want to make it part of mine by getting into a catfight with his former wife in public." She turned back to Martha. "You and Toby can handle this. I know he wants to do something good for Leon."

"Alright, then. We'll be back soon." Martha hugged her two friends before picking up a bag she had packed with field supplies for DNA collection and storage. Heading up the hill, she joined the Doctor and Toby in the police box.

Gwen squeezed Laney's hand supportively, as they watched the box fade out of existence.

* * *

It was bigger on the inside. Toby's eyes were wide with utter fascination as he glanced over the interior of the Tardis. The main control chamber was a massive room. It was well and truly alien technology, and certainly deceptive with its odd, blue police box appearance on the outside. Time and relative dimension in space, or TARDIS, as Martha called it, was nothing like Leon's ship.

He could tell that Martha's friend was used to the reaction. The man had tried to play it off like he'd never heard anyone else say those words, but Toby could hear the slightly patronizing tone in the Doctor's voice.

The man was odd. One second he seemed old and wise; the next he was bouncing around with more energy than both of Toby's younger brothers combined. The long, brown coat he wore and the high-top shoes were a fashion statement the teenager couldn't quite comprehend.

Martha seemed to trust him and Toby trusted her. He was on a mission though, to help the man who made his mom smile. While he didn't quite understand the whole situation, he was happy to be a part of something that would hopefully keep them together. In the short time he'd known Leon, the man had made a huge impression on him. For the first time in his life, Toby felt like he actually had a real family.

Even when his real dad had been with them, there had been arguing. A lot of arguing.

He missed Pops. The old cowboy had been the closest thing Toby had ever had to a real father he could look up to.

When his Uncle Gwaine had suddenly reemerged and joined their lives, things were chaotic, but pretty cool, too. After moving to Colorado, Gwaine and Pops had done things with them, like going camping a few times. Gwaine had taken them to a car race at one of the speedways. It felt more like having an older brother than a father, though.

After his confession to Merlin in the garage, Toby hadn't expected the turn his life had suddenly taken. He knew his mom liked Leon, even if she claimed their relationship was nothing. While Greg still sulked about the loss of their real dad, Toby and Randy latched onto Leon. He hoped Greg would come around eventually, but his brother was a putz...or a prat. He smirked, thinking how Merlin's word for Arthur fitted his middle brother perfectly.

Toby still couldn't believe that Martha had asked him to come along for this adventure. Life certainly hadn't been dull for the last year. How many teenagers could say they've moved to a different country, been in space with whom he hoped would someday be his actual step-dad, and now, traveling back in time to the days of the real Round Table?

The loud whining engines, if they could be called that, shut down with a clunk and a thud. "I think we're here." The Doctor man said and he ran toward the door. He stood in front of it, his tall, lanky frame blocking the way. "Now, Trouble. I would tell you to behave yourself, and not to get into any trouble...but, you're a teenager and I know the chances of that happening is close to nil."

The way the man clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth annoyed Toby, as did the way the Doctor called him 'Trouble'...as if he was prophesying things to come. Martha shot the boy an apologetic look, but it really made him question why his mom's friend had ever considered this man a friend.

"Well, ya know, I gotta try." He shrugged and gave the Doctor a look that was a near-perfect knockoff of his Uncle Gwaine's signature sarcasm.

Martha stifled her laughter with a groan and wrapped her arm around Toby's shoulders. "C'mon. Let's go enjoy ourselves while we look for Leon."

Stepping outside the time machine was a culture shock the young man was not prepared for. He'd gone with his family to the Renaissance Faire back in Colorado, but the reality of the medieval lifestyle wasn't anything like he had envisioned.

The smell was the first thing that got him. Animals and dung mixed with an odor similar to the portable toilets, but without the chemical additive or the daily pumping to keep it under control. Food, mostly burning meats, and half-rotten vegetables permeated the atmosphere.

His eyes stung from the ammonia that waifed up from nearby latrines. Even the cleanest people appeared like they hadn't bathed in a year. He was careful to follow Martha's steps as they crossed straw-filled trenches along the side streets.

The roar of people came from an area just outside of the city walls. A large field was packed full of brightly colored tents that surrounded what seemed to be tournament grounds.

The Doctor was talking with Martha, and the two of them seemed unphased by the entire experience. Toby had asked about costumes to blend in, but had been told the perception filter of the Tardis took care of that and any language aspects.

A woman's voice called out a gruff warning from a second story window. Toby managed to jump out of the way just as she dumped a pot of the worst smelling stuff he could have imagined, out on the ground.

In his effort to avoid the splash, he failed to see a young man trying to dart through the crowd behind him. The other boy's arms had been filled with armor...or, they were until the collision. Carefully polished metal was strewn across the dirty street and suddenly didn't seem as clean as it had been.

"Sorry! So sorry!" The other one said.

Toby looked up in shock at a slightly familiar voice. "Um...no...my bad...I, uh... Oh, my god...Merlin?"

Messy, dark hair contrasted against pale skin, and a thin face with cheekbones so high they looked almost feminine. "Do I know you?"

"Um. No, sorry. I've just seen you around."

When young Merlin smiled, it lit up his entire face. "Yeah, that's me. Always rushing around. Merlin, do this. Merlin, do that. Never get any time to sit and chat."

"Merlin!" Another voice yelled through the crowd.

"See, just like that, never a moment."

Toby glanced up to see another man, perhaps a year or two older than Merlin, stalking through the crowd. The people around him stepped back out the way. The arrogant sneer on his face seemed completely out of place for the man Toby had come to know.

"What the hell have you done? You idiot!" Arthur grabbed Merlin by his large ear and hauled the young servant to his feet. "My armor is ruined! I am the Crown Prince, Merlin! I can't be seen in the tournament wearing armor covered in mud!"

"I, uh, well, you see..."

"It was my fault." Toby admitted. He squirmed when hostile blue eyes turned on him.

"Your fault?" Arthur barked out a menacing laugh. "Fine. Then, you can help my servant clean it all before you join him in the stocks after the tournament!"

Shrinking back, Toby felt anger boiling within him, but he kept his eyes on the ground. He mumbled under his breath. "Asshole."

"What was that?" Arthur growled lowly and stepped toward the boy.

"He said he stepped in a hole. It's a hole. That one right there. He stepped in the hole and tripped into me. Might want to watch your step. The street is filled with holes from the horses that have been brought through here from the stables. We wouldn't want you falling into one of them since you just had a bath this morning, Sire. That's why he-"

Rolling his eyes, it was obvious the prince didn't have any patience for his servant's rambling. Arthur glared at his servant. " _Merlin..._ "

"Shut up?"

"Just get that stuff to my tent, and if you can manage it, try to be less...you." Arthur glared at them both again, before turning on his heel and stalking back off toward the tournament.

"Of course, Sire! We'll be right behind you." Once the prince was out of earshot, Merlin muttered, "Prat."

The two young men shared a chuckle.

"Thanks." Toby said, as he began helping Merlin pick up the scattered armor.

Merlin offered him a friendly smile. "Eh, just don't want to see someone else get in trouble. What's your name?"

"Toby."

"Well, Toby. We need to hurry if we want to stay out of the stocks tonight. He'll likely forget about it after the competition, if we get this stuff cleaned up. Are you a squire or a servant for one of the knights who are competing?"

"Um..." Toby looked around. He suddenly realized that his misstep had caused him to lose sight of Martha and the Doctor. His heart thudded in his chest and he felt a wave of guilt overcome him. The Doctor had seemed to know he was going to land himself in a bit of trouble. The least the Time Lord could have done, would have been to warn Toby about how quickly it would have happened. "Not exactly."

On the plus side, he was going to have one hell of a story to tell when he got back home.

Miraculously, Toby managed to keep his mouth mostly shut, although Merlin did enough talking for the two of them. So, it didn't seemed to matter much.

He'd known the man in the future for well over a year, but seeing Merlin as someone close to his own age was an eye-opening experience, to say the least. It was amusing to hear him ramble on and on, asking a few brief questions, but mostly being overly informative of all the going-ons in Camelot.

Questions like:  _How long have you been in Camelot_ , and  _where are you from?_  Came out of the teen-aged Merlin's mouth in rapid succession.

Toby tried to answer as briefly and evasively as possible. He was grateful when his lack of answers didn't seemed to put Merlin off any. The warlock was happy enough to fill the empty space by telling about his own life in Ealdor, and talking about his first time coming to Camelot, which seemed to have been only a few months before.

In a way, it was so similar to when Merlin had taught him to work on the old Land Rover in the garage; now as Toby was being shown how to clean the armor properly. For all the differences, Merlin was essentially the same kind-hearted man Toby had come to respect.

Toby smiled when Merlin spoke about his mother and how she had raised him by herself, until she had sent him to Gaius.

"My mom pretty much raised me and my brothers by herself, too." He said, feeling the need to share his own experiences. "She met a guy recently who's really awesome, though. I came here to try and help him out. He wants to marry her, but she's being weird about it."

Merlin paused and shook his head at some of the odd words. "Well, I'm sure if he's a decent enough fellow, she'll come around. My mother never really had the chance to meet someone and she never talks about my father. I hope someday I can convince her to move here, but I don't think she really wants to go anywhere. I think she hopes I'll learn enough from Gaius to want to go back to Ealdor and be a physician there, but now that I'm working for Arthur, I don't think that will happen any time soon."

"Merlin?" A voice called urgently from outside the tent, just before the flap opened.

Toby dropped the arm guard he was polishing. He couldn't stop the whisper that fell from his lips. "Dad?"

Standing at the entrance was Leon. He was in his full tournament armor. His face was younger and clean shaven, and his hair was slicked back and dark with sweat. A gash across his forehead was smeared with dirt and blood, but didn't seem to phase the knight.

Leon glanced at the boy curiously for moment, before turning to the prince's servant. "Gaius is looking for you. A visiting knight's squire got trampled and he needs your assistance. Arthur is dealing with the stable hand who was supposed to be tethering the horses when they spooked."

Merlin tossed the armor aside and rushed out of the tent, leaving Toby alone with Leon.

Toby gulped, unsure of what to do.

"Is something the matter, boy?" Leon's voice was heavy with the accent of the time and he didn't appear anything like the man that Toby knew.

"You...uh...have blood on your forehead, um...Sir Leon."

"Well, don't be daft about it, boy. Find something for me to clean it up." The knight didn't sound angry or arrogant, but his tone was definitely that of a noble to a servant, and impatient. "I need to get back out there and assist the prince."

Toby nodded, and his eyes darted around the tent and came to rest on a blue square of cloth. Merlin had been wearing a neckerchief when they'd met. It had been splattered with the same mud that coated the armor when they had fallen. As the two of them had worked, some of the filth had fallen from the scarf and landed on the breastplate Merlin had just finished cleaning.

In order to save himself some extra work, Merlin had simply taken it off.

Picking it up and finding a clean spot under one of the folds, Toby held it out to Leon nervously. He watched and held his breath, as the knight accepted it and wiped the mess from his forehead.

Yells from outside caught Leon's attention. He shoved the cloth back into Toby's hand and with a muttered word of thanks, headed outside.

Releasing his breath noisily, the teenager looked down at the item in his hand and a grin began to spread from ear to ear. All he needed to do now was somehow find Martha again and get the hell out of Camelot.

* * *

"Oh, my god, Toby! I have been looking everywhere for you! Your mother would absolutely kill me if I lost you!"

"I'm fine, Martha!" The young man smiled, "I had to help Merlin clean some armor, since I kind of ran into him and made him drop it. By the way, Arthur is a total jerk."

Martha glanced up sharply. She'd heard stories about the young Prince Arthur. "It's a surprise you didn't end up in the dungeon saying something like that."

"Oh, Martha, let Trouble be." The Doctor grinned and cast a wink at Toby. "After all, the day is still young."

"Well, we can leave whenever you guys want to. I got what we needed." He held up the blue cloth and pointed to the bloodstain.

"How did you manage that?" Martha asked in surprise. She took the cloth and placed it in a plastic bag before stuffing it into her jacket pocket. Toby filled her in on his adventure of the morning.

She laughed, "Wish I could have seen that! I bet Merlin is rather cute being so young."

"Well, he's right over there."

Turning to where Toby was pointing, she spied the lanky, beanpole of a young man standing next to the rail and watching the jousting tournament. The mop of black hair...the oversized ears. The excited smile on his face was so innocent and carefree. She couldn't help herself. Cautiously, she took her phone out of her pocket and snapped a quick picture of her future husband.

Toby grinned and followed her lead, but he set his phone camera for video, and began recording Sir Leon mounting his horse and preparing for a joust against the Crown Prince of Camelot. "Mom is going to freak out!"

They heard a gasp behind them. When Toby turned around, he saw a young woman staring at him in fright. "Magic...magic... Guards! This boy is using magic!" She screamed.

The Doctor clucked his tongue. "I think that's our cue to leave."

"Just like old times then, yeah?" Martha smiled and grabbed Toby's hand. "It's time to run."

They made it back to the TARDIS...barely. The whole of Camelot's Guards and Knights close on their heels. For one moment during the chase, Toby had become separated from Martha by only a few feet and he thought he was done for.

Out of the corner of his eye, he had seen Merlin gaping at him. Then, the young man's eyes glowed and a cart rolled out behind Toby, blocking the path of his pursuers. He smiled his thanks to the warlock before darting off to catch up with Martha.

Inside the TARDIS, the door closed quickly behind them. The Doctor wasted no time in firing up the engines, and the pulsing, whining sound grew as the ship disappeared from Camelot.

"Told ya there was more to come." The Time Lord smirked, "So, where are we off to now, Martha Jones-Emyrs? Any place special you want to go before I take you and Trouble back home?"

"Well, there is one stop I would like to make."

  
  



	15. Chapter 15

He did his best. He really, honestly did. Yet, there wasn't much that could have been done to keep the grin that formed, and the muffled chuckle from behind his hand escaping. It wasn't Merlin's fault and he knew that.

After a year of getting to know the man who his best friend had become, it made him smile to see the clumsy, whiny servant emerge once more...even if it was only for a brief moment. Arthur tried successfully not think about the reason for the relapse. He simply took perverse joy in seeing the familiar sight.

Merlin, on the other hand, was fuming and covered in mud. He was glaring at Arthur's amusement, while Gwaine held out a moistened cloth.

A fire fight with some of the human followers of Origin had ensued the moment they had stepped through the Stargate. Leon and Percival had provided the cover fire, while Arthur had rushed ahead with the sword in his hand. His rifle was forgotten and ideomotor responses to a battle kicked in, naturally guiding his actions in the melee.

Merlin had used the staff to guide his magic in a blast wave that rippled out and knocked many of the enemy forces off their feet. Meanwhile, behind him, Gwaine had joined the others in firing their weapons, but mostly kept Merlin covered.

Once the area was clear, Merlin had made his way down the steps from the platform where the Gate rested. It was on the final stair that he had allowed his mind to relax and open. He had felt Aithusa's distress instantly and it had caused him to miss the final step and trip, landing him face down in the only mud puddle in the vicinity.

The warlock took the proffered cloth and began wiping off his face, grateful that Gwaine and Leon had the presence of mind to refrain from commenting on the slip. Merlin's mind, however, began churning with various methods of payback for his former king.

From the distance, the men looked up when they heard the sound of an engine whining.

"Incoming aircraft." Gwaine reached down and hauled Merlin to his feet.

Leon glanced at the sky. "Let's make for the treeline and take cover."

The others followed Leon's lead, and soon they were engulfed in the dense forest that surrounded the clearing where the Stargate stood. They watched the single-manned fighters fly overhead, scouting the area.

"We should probably get a move on before they send for reinforcements. Which way to this 'holy' city?" Arthur sheathed his sword and adjusted the backpack he was carrying and looked around, trying to find a path through the forest. When Merlin didn't respond, he turned to see his friend leaning against a tree. Merlin's eyes were closed and he wore a pained expression on his face. "Merlin?"

He shrugged and shook his head. Tears threatened to spill from his blue eyes. "I don't know. I can't sense anything. Aithusa has completely shut me out of her mind...again."

Arthur's merriment ceased and he sighed, not knowing how to comfort his best friend. "Is this what she did before, then?"

The nod Merlin gave was barely perceptible.

"Do you still feel that...hole, or whatever it was...inside you?"

"More than ever." Merlin replied in a whisper. "Before she shut me out of her mind, I could feel the anger, but it also felt as though she might have thought she was protecting me."

Gwaine chuckled, "Typical woman. You can command her, right? Make her open up and tell us where she is?"

"I don't know, Gwaine. I want to try and gain her trust. Not push her farther away. I don't think Dr. Jackson's plan worked. She doesn't want us there."

"So, what? Who cares what she wants?"

Merlin looked up at Gwaine sharply. Alienating the last dragon was not the purpose of the mission. His desire was to seek forgiveness and find peace so they both could heal.

"Listen, if she wants to act like a brat and not give us a chance to help her, you're gonna need to push her."

"She's not a child, Gwaine."

"Like hell she isn't!" Leon added with a roll of his eyes. "You are the one who hatched her...or, called her from the egg, correct?"

Blue eyes stared blankly at Leon.

"You were too busy taking care of Arthur to take care of her. You've had children before and she needs to be treated like one."

"What am I supposed to do? Tell a centuries old dragon that she's going to be grounded if she doesn't do as I say? Threaten to make her muck out the stables or some such nonsense?"

Arthur snickered, "That would be a good start, as long as she doesn't eat the horses. I, for one, want to get this taken care of and get back to my wife and my own children. I know Leon would like to see Elaine and her boys again, and Gwaine I'm sure has..."

"If you are already done with this, I can open the Gate and send you all back home right now." Merlin snapped out. The staff was held up in a white knuckled grip, and pointing at the Stargate.

He knew his words were a reaction caused in part by the pain he had felt from Aithusa before she closed herself off. Inside himself, he could feel the darkness trying to take hold, and it was all he could do to keep himself from wanting to collapse.

"That's not what he's saying, Merlin." Percival's quiet voice said, bringing a sense of calm to the situation. "But, there is more to consider than just hurting her feelings. She learned from Morgana how to survive alone and not ask for help."

Gwaine ran a hand through his hair and blew out a sigh. "Once you're face to face with her... _then_ , you can deal with the next step. But, that ain't going to happen unless we get there to begin with. I know if I had done anything like that to Pops, he would have kicked my ass, no matter how old I was."

"You know that my father would have thrown me in the dungeons for anything even remotely resembling disobedience." Arthur and Gwaine glanced at Leon, expecting him to add in an opinion of his own.

The tall knight gave them both a face filled with innocence. "I don't even remember my father. So, don't look at me for help."

Merlin couldn't help the soft snigger that escaped him. A glance at the others made him realize, once again, how little they still grasped of fleeting memories over so long of a time.

He didn't want to treat her like a child. Merlin had always thought of Aithusa as an extension of Kilgharrah; just another creature of magic. He'd never really given much thought to the idea of the dragon needing guidance like a child.

Kilgharrah, he had assumed, would have taken care of that. But, as he thought more on it, he realized that it had been Morgana who had raised Aithusa, in a dark pit filled with pain and anger for those who had wronged them. Merlin had never felt like he had the wisdom, nor that it was his place to take charge and teach her morality.

Perhaps, it was that line of thinking that had brought them to this moment. He actually recalled Mithian having made a comment to him centuries ago, about Merlin's inability to rein in his own daughter. Ning had also accused him of being too soft-hearted when it came to raising the orphans they had taken in.

"Alright."

"Good. Now, lets get to a place with some better cover and let you do your thing." Arthur held out a hand to Merlin, who accepted with a forced, and somewhat lopsided smile.

* * *

They made their way deeper into the forest and found a place to camp, just as nightfall gathered around them. The massive trees hung thick with moss and the shadows deepened, effectively hiding them from normal sight.

Percival set about starting a small fire for warmth. Leon deployed a small camouflaging device, that he had occasionally used in his smuggling. It was made to hide the signatures given off by their body heat from any scout ships.

Merlin sank down against a tree in meditation. Arthur and Gwaine were quietly bantering over flavored protein bars.

Finally settled, Leon decided to take some time to pull out a small recording unit.

"You started doing that again after all these years?" Percival smiled and pointed at the device.

Catching on to what Leon was doing, Gwaine had to snicker. "At least you've graduated from the coal pencil and notebook."

The former king shook his head. "Almost every mission or patrol... when we'd settle for the night, you'd write. Seriously, Leon, what do you find so important to keep notes about?"

The ancient knight smiled and fingered the recorder. He debated for a few minutes about answering. Taking a breath, he nodded and spoke. "Back in the day - it was letters to Bridgette."

"Now, you're recording love notes to my sister? Fracking hell, if she doesn't marry you, I will! You're like Mr. Perfect, or something."

"Face it, he's just out to make the rest of us look bad." Arthur commented, with a smile on his own face.

Leon rolled his eyes. "Yes,  _Sire_. My entire existence has been to prove how unromantic the rest of you truly are."

"So, how many lucky ladies have received messages of love from you over the years?" Gwaine asked with a teasing smile and wiggling eyebrows.

"Thus far? One." He stared down at his hands. "After this, it will be two."

"All those years, you're telling me you've only been in love with two women?" Gwaine asked with a hint of awe.

Leon shook his head with a chuckle. His dark blond hair bounced with the movement. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, I mean, come on! Seriously? You haven't had any other women? Even Merlin's had himself a few."

"Oh, I've had my share of women. Men. Other alien lifeforms. But, no, Gwaine. I have not been in love with any of them. I had my duty..." He motioned to the sword next to Arthur, "...And, that came first."

Gwaine's eyes narrowed and he bit into his meal bar, unsure if he could really believe what his friend was saying. He couldn't begin to imagine how lonely his friend must have been, living on the run for so long.

After a few moments, he shook his head. He seriously needed to have a talk with his sister when they returned. His vow to stay out of it had already been thrown out the window. If Laney screwed this up because of her anxiety he was going to kill her.

* * *

It was nearly dawn when Gwaine had finally managed to fall asleep, in spite of the mystery that plagued his mind concerning Leon's deep devotion to duty and family. He understood the sense of duty Leon had spoken of. Maybe not to the extent that the unaging knight had, but Gwaine's own vows first to the Corps then to Merlin and Camelot had always meant something to him.

Never thinking he would see his sister or Pops again had changed him. The second chance he'd been given with them both, as well as to meet his nephews was something he wouldn't take for granted.

Love, however, was an entirely different matter.

Perhaps it was because that until Eira, he had always fallen in and out of love easily. The love he had felt never seemed to last for very long, but he had never discounted its validity. Each woman he cared for had been a true love.

Eira had been the only one with whom he had seriously thought about a life with. But, if she hadn't turned into a traitor, Gwaine wasn't sure how long it would have lasted beyond those initial few weeks. He tried to convince himself that either he would have become restless, or she would have dumped him and moved on.

Carolyn...he wanted to love her, he really did. But, whether it was having had his heart broken and ripped out by Eira, or something else entirely, he just couldn't get beyond admitting that he 'more than liked her,' as he had said to Merlin. It was almost like a slap in the face when it came to his sister.

Laney hadn't wanted to fall in love. She had fought against it tooth and nail, and somehow ended up in a romance that would have made many of the great poets swoon.

He'd thought about the message he'd left on Carolyn's phone, and wondered why he had said a couple of the things that he did, or what she would make of it. It really had felt like he was saying goodbye. He hadn't even bothered to add anything like "I'll call you when I get back" or some other such phrase that might lead her on.

She was beautiful. She was smart, kind, strong, sassy...everything he wanted in a woman. She also had taken care of him at the absolute lowest point in his life.

A thought suddenly occurred to Gwaine. He needed her, but she was independant and more than capable of taking care of herself. Deep down, Gwaine was still a good ole boy at heart; raised by a crusty old cowboy who had held strong values of right and wrong, and had taught him a man's place in the world.

Pops hadn't been sexist, nor was Gwaine. They knew women were strong and capable. Hell, he could look at his own sister and see that, but underneath, it was something simpler; something that just came naturally to their way of life.

He wanted someone to take care of.

That was why he had rushed off to save his sister from Ba'al, and why he had bought the acreage in Colorado when he had returned to his own time. He had done all that to take care of his family.

Gwaine had jumped at the chance to help Merlin whenever his friend had expressed that he couldn't do something on his own... whether it was chasing after a stubborn prince on a foolhardy quest, or as a bodyguard to get to the Crystal Cave.

The realization was plain and simple. He wasn't sure if Carolyn needed him the way he wanted to be needed.

Rolling over on his bedroll, he noticed the sky beginning to brighten. The shadows of the forest seemed to deepen for a moment, before streaks of light started making their way through the canopy of the trees.

A rustling sound off to the side caught his attention and his eyes shifted. Merlin had come out of his meditation and was walking off into the forest. Gwaine noticed Arthur, who had taken the final watch, beginning to rise and follow.

He gave the blond man a quick, low whistle to get his attention. Gwaine nodded toward the disappearing warlock and waved Arthur to sit back down, before he went after Merlin himself.

"Whatcha doing?" He asked Merlin, once they were away from the camp.

Merlin turned and blinked in surprise. "I didn't know anyone was following me."

"Yeah, that was a bit obvious." Gwaine chuckled and waited for the old man to answer his initial question.

Merlin still looked so young at first glance. Having known Merlin from the time of Camelot, however, Gwaine could just look into his friend's eyes and see the centuries in their blue, fathomless depths. Merlin was old. He was tired and ready to be free of the ages on his soul. He was ready to be normal. Even if he knew it might never happen.

"I'm much stronger than I was with my magic - in what connects me to Aithusa - than when she was hatched. I had hoped to connect with her and command her simply by thought and meditation. She is stronger, too. I know she is trapped wherever she is, but I hope that by calling her vocally, I can break through her resistance."

Gwaine nodded. It made sense to him, from all he had learned about the Dragon Lords in the past year. "Get to it, then. Don't mind me."

Merlin smiled and turned away. He took a deep breath and the voice that erupted was unlike anything Gwaine had ever heard.

A chill passed through Gwaine as the words flowed from Merlin in loud and guttural tones. The power behind them was palpable, and deep in his soul, Gwaine felt as if he should know their meaning... he should have understood them.

He shook his head and blinked, not grasping what had just happened, even though he knew it was something significant. Gwaine failed to see the slight tilt of Merlin's head as the other man watched him from the corner of his eye, obviously coming to some hidden conclusion.

Merlin suddenly grasped his head in pain and collapsed to the forest floor.

Rushing forward, Gwaine grabbed his friend and knelt next to him. "Hey. Hey, don't go passing out on me now."

"I'll try not to." Merlin held his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. "It worked."

"What did?"

"Commanding Aithusa. I know where she is. I can feel her again." His eyes drifted to the rise of snow-capped mountains in the distance. "The city lies that way, in a valley on the other side of the mountains."

"Alright, then! Let's get back to camp and tell the others."

Merlin nodded in agreement. "We need to hurry. The Ori...It might not be long before the Priors, or someone else, finds her."

"Someone else being Morgana?"

Shrugging, Merlin didn't answer in words, but the fear of what Gwaine had verbalized was evident in his face.

* * *

Shining, silvery towers appeared to rise from the surface of the shallow lake. The city looked like some surreal fantasy. Cautiously, they made their way closer to the Holy City of the Gods and found a way inside.

"Does this seem entirely too easy to any of you guys?" Gwaine said, chancing fate.

The others quietly nodded in agreement. They had managed to cross the entire expanse of the lake, and hadn't seen any of the scout or fighter ships that had been searching for them since their arrival. There had been no movement in the towers or along the walls of the city, so far as they could discern. The whole place felt like a ghost town.

They found an open door to what looked like a storehouse, and ducked inside to catch their breath, while they got their bearings.

"Maybe Dr. Jackson's weapon worked and there's no one left?" Percival suggested cautiously.

"No. There are still people left in the city. I can feel them." Merlin cast his eyes about the room they found themselves in. It was devoid of any furnishings or decoration, save for one tapestry with the symbol of the Ori.

It vaguely reminded him of a time years prior, when he had gone to the Far East for UNIT and crossed the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea. There had been reports of some unusual readings and nothing from the satellites to say it was alien in origin.

Knowing that Merlin fluently spoke many of the various dialects from the region, he'd been asked to go in. It didn't hurt that he had the ability to track down unusual objects with his mind, also his personal history gave him an advantage of dealing with antiquated Eastern cultures. If he was captured, he had the ability to teleport himself out, as well.

The Holy City of Celestis, where the Ori reigned from, was strikingly similar to what he remembered from that trip. Artwork, literature, radio and TV broadcasts had all been dedicated to the leader of North Korea, just as it seemed everything here was devoted to the Ori.

He shook off the chilling tension that had settled between his shoulders blades. "I don't like this situation. We need to get to Aithusa and get out as quickly as possible."

Merlin's adventure beyond the DMZ had ended rather badly, and he had spent a few weeks recovering from the journey after teleporting himself from a North Korean prison cell. He'd never found the item that had set off the alarm bells for UNIT, but his intel from the country had still been valuable.

In his current state and with his companions, he knew that if they were caught, it might not end that easily this time around.

"Have you seen the size of this city, Merlin? How do you suggest we find her quickly? I doubt if they have a Visitor's Center to answer questions like that, or give us a free map."

"I can feel her...near the center. Morgana showed me an image of a pit of flames. I know she's close to it." He pointed out of a small window toward the middle of the city. "I think it might be that way, toward that tall tower."

Arthur snorted and rolled his eyes. "You think? Well, that makes me feel a lot better."

"Arthur, give him a break, alright?" Gwaine said, coming to Merlin's defense. He could see the weariness in the way Merlin moved, although his friend hid it well. Gwaine was the only one of them to have witnessed Merlin's collapse when the Supergate had been opened. His mind lingered on that image, and he had become hyper-vigilant to every nuance of his friend's physical state.

Arthur scoffed and turned away, but the worry in his eyes told a different story.

They were all getting anxious. Merlin was exhausted. Gwaine was getting annoyed, and Arthur was falling back on old habits.

Leon and Percival appeared to be unphased by the situation, but a shared glance betrayed the fact that they were both feeling the stress, as well.

They hadn't planned on the Stargate being located in a forest outside of a remote village, instead of being within or near the city like many of the Stargates were in more developed societies. It had taken a day to make their way through a mountain pass, and another to traverse their way down the other side.

From the high elevation, they had been able to see the outline of the city in the distance. So, they had known they were on the right path, but there was something more in the air that was making them all anxious.

"Gwaine might be onto something." Leon mentioned absently.

"You think they do have a Visitor's Center?"

Smirking, Leon shook his head. "No. Although, if there is a tavern around, I'm sure you'd be able to find that."

"...Even without directions." Percival added with a grin.

"What can I say? My sister trained me well." Gwaine saw the smirk form and then quickly hidden at the mention of of Laney.

Coughing slightly, Leon continued, "What I meant was, if we can find some sort of computer terminal or interface, I might be able to hack into it and find us a map or some schematics."

Cautiously, they left the room behind and began to explore the city. Merlin tried to keep his senses alert, but it was becoming more difficult with each passing minute.

After a few hours, they hadn't found anything that looked like a control panel. There was no sign of a computer terminal, or even something as simple as a lightswitch in the entire place. Light simply emanated from the walls and rooftops, without a single sign of even something as simple as a light switch.

They wove their way through the streets, in the dusky evening. As they drew closer toward the center of the city, they finally began to see signs of life.

First there were small groups comprising of three or four soldiers, who patrolled between the buildings. Occasionally, they caught sight of Priors in their muted robes. The Priors gazed blindly ahead through their milky white eyes, as they strode down the streets, and intoned scriptures from the Book of Origin.

Aside from that, a few followers huddled in apartment-style housing and glanced at the strangers through slats in window shutters. A couple of times men were seen dashing to and from their businesses. But otherwise, there still appeared to be little life in the magnificent citadel. What they did see, didn't appear to inspire any sort of the divine peace and eternal happiness that the Ori tried to offer.

After one particular group of four guards had passed, Gwaine nodded his head in the direction they had gone. The others had silently agreed in his unspoken suggestion to follow them. There seemed to be no discernible pattern to the guards' patrol and Merlin fidgeted nervously. The path had kept them more exposed than he was comfortable with.

The guards walked through a door, without seeming to be any wiser to having acquired a tail. Merlin put out his hand to block his companions. He twisted his other hand on the staff he held. "Something's not right. I can't feel anything beyond that door."

"I'll take that as a good sign, then." Leon whispered and adjusted his grip on his gun.

"How do you figure?" Gwaine asked.

"Shielding technology, possibly. Might be they don't want anyone to find what's inside there."

Merlin appeared hesitant. While Leon's assessment might have been true, he felt that there was something more going on.

Arthur read the thoughts on Merlin's face. "Now, is not the time to be such a girl, Merlin. I say we continue to follow them." The old insult was meant to challenge Merlin, as it had in the past. He shook his head, when Merlin didn't rise to the bait. Biting back a sigh, Arthur drew his sword.

Gwaine's hand on his arm made him pause. "Look." He pointed to the door, and they watched as the guards exited. "Merlin, can you grab the door before it shuts?"

A brief nod of the warlock's head preceded the tale-tale flash of magic in his eyes. The door paused just before latching closed.

When the street was clear, the five men made their way silently across and slipped through the door. They realized their mistake in assuming the room was empty...too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lot of inspiration was taken from a National Geographic documentary by Lisa Ling as she traveled with a medical team beyond the DMZ into North Korea. I saw it years ago, and it is available on youtube. Chilling. That is the only way to describe it. Not meant to be a literal interpretation of that documentary (obviously), but I was just trying to capture the feeling of the place.


	16. Chapter 16

Sebryn cursed herself. She should have known better, she really should have. Getting captured by the followers of the Ori was a rookie move. As the daughter of the leader of the Resistance in a war that had waged for longer than any of them could remember, she was a veteran of war and had been weaned on battle since she was a young child.

Generations before, her people had been created from normal humans by the evil of the Ori. They had been twisted and made to be able to enslave the great space-dwelling creatures that lived among the planetary system in the nebula at the edge of the galaxy.

The creatures -drakkon in the old language - had the ability to travel through vast amounts of space in the blink of an eye, with nothing more than the powers of their breath and thought.

She had heard the stories of another group of people who had tried to work with the magnificent beasts, but when the war had begun, they had fled to other galaxies across the great expanse of the universe.

Genetic manipulation and biological warfare secured the Ori's plan to make the beasts dependant on the humans for life. In order to save their great race, they bowed to the will of the humans and gave a part of themselves in a symbiotic relationship. It gave the drakkons an anchor for the mortal world.

Before the change, their race was said to be truly immortal. After it, the symbiosis with the humans caused them to age and die a mortal death, even if their lifespans were still longer than almost any other known race. By joining with the humans, they were able to maintain their grasp on reality and the powers they held.

Not all of the creatures accepted the bonding, however, and those who refused became monstrous representations of their once noble race. They suffered deformities and only possessed rudimentary understanding of the language they once spoke. Their innate abilities to create wormholes and heal with a simple breath, or rain fire down upon their enemies, all but vanished.

Some of the humans were then enticed by the promises of Origin, and they commanded the creatures they had bonded with into visiting unspeakable horrors upon those who refused the will of the Ori.

A nearly forgotten legend, cut into the smooth stone walls of the Hall of Ancestors, told of a time when nearly all was lost.

They were dying. The ongoing genetic manipulations, even with the bonding, had begun to take its toll. Fewer eggs were being hatched and there were less human children with the ability to bond.

In what they thought was a final hope to save themselves, they called out to the ones who had fled millennia before. The Alterans came to their aid, but instead of becoming embroiled once again in the war with the Ori, Moros, the High Chancellor of Atlantis, offered them a chance to escape.

He promised to help find a cure for the ailments that had begun to plague the drakkons, if they would only follow him to a new galaxy. Around that time, they had begun to call themselves Furlings.

A large portion of their population took the opportunity. But, a few stayed behind to guard their way against the Ori. Sebryn's ancestor was among them.

Prophecies told of a day when the others would return with a cure. But, thus far the Furlings who had fled, had never been heard from again.

The evil of the Ori had grown. They had started to clone the drakkons in order to gain their power, without the mess of having a human to control them.

Originally, it had worked, but the cloned drakkons had degraded and their innate, magical abilities weakened. It soon came to a point where the cloned embryos were frozen in crystal and the Ori appointed human followers as Priors, people gifted with the ability to focus the power within the crystals.

Sebryn's people had continued to work on their own methods for a cure. While they had not found a way to completely break the bond between human and drakkon, they had remedied many of the other issues. Drakkons were no longer on the verge of extinction from the biological warfare waged against them by the Ori.

The Furlings started to flourish as a people. The nebula had become a sanctuary for the drakkons and the humans once more. Many of the planets hidden within it were protected from the Ori, but the war was still far from over.

They now numbered in the thousands, and much of their lifestyle was devoted to finding a way to destroy the Ori once and for all. It was difficult to wage battle against nearly untouchable god-like beings. The Resistance had to settle for protecting themselves and hitting the followers of Origin whenever they could.

Having already exploited nearly every available source of power in their own galaxy, the Ori had control had begun to weaken.

A new found energy began to take hold among the Furlings, to step up the Resistance. Even normal humans, on the planets controlled by the Ori, were beginning to break away from the rigid structure of Origin.

Recently, word had begun to spread about humans from Albion making their way to Celestis.

Albion...the very same galaxy where Moros had taken the refugees...also called The Milky Way. The Furlings had no idea about what had happened to their cousins who had fled, but they weren't about to let the Ori gain more followers and power without a fight.

Then, the day came when a deformed white creature was seen sailing through the stars in search of the Ori.

A scout party had been sent out to try and intercept the drakkon from Albion, but their efforts had been in vain and the creature was captured before they could make contact. The elders of her people were embroiled in discussions about how to free the white drakkon, or if they even should.

Taking a group to the Ori's holiest and most protected city, the absolute heart of their control, was suicide...especially, when the sightings had not been absolutely confirmed. There were too many variables and the protection of their own people came first.

Sebryn had known that she should have left it alone and focused on her own duties, but something about this creature, and the stories of old, intrigued her. On her own, she had left the safety of the nebula and had attempted to sneak into the Holy City of the Gods, hoping to find proof of the white drakkon.

She sat, curled over her knees in a corner of a dark room, not even bothering to brush away the lifeless strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face. It felt like it had been ages since she had bathed or seen the sun, and the once golden-brown locks were dark and limp. Cheeks, once flushed with the excitement of life, were now pale and sunken from weeks of imprisonment.

Time no longer held meaning for her. The chief Prior - the Doci, mouthpiece of the Ori - had spent days preaching to her the words of Origin. He had hoped to convert her and discover a way for the Ori to infiltrate the Resistance that had kept them from full domination over the galaxy.

When the normal methods of conversion failed, the Doci had turned to means of torture. But, she had still not given him the information he craved. She knew, however, that it wouldn't be long until the last of her resistance disappeared and she would bend to his will.

At night, she listened to the pitiful cries of the white drakkon, echoing through her soul more than her actual ears. The creature itself was being tortured for its power; the only one of its kind to have been captured for generations.

During her captivity, she had overheard rumor of the Ori using the human counterpart as a base for a genetically modified clone, which they could control completely. Sebryn didn't know if their plan had worked. Although, she supposed it must have to some extent, as she began to hear the guards speak reverently about the birth of a girl called the Orici.

In the past two days, however, something had changed.

There was a charge of energy in the air, and the soldiers she saw seemed more tense than usual. The Doci had been conspicuously absent...even the cries of the white drakkon had changed.

When her guard brought her food that night, he was so distracted that Sebryn took advantage of the situation. Her innate abilities to control different aspects of her surroundings had been stifled from the chains she wore on her wrists, but that didn't stop her from being able to jump on the back of her guard and throw her arm around his neck.

She left his body cooling in her cell and began making her way out of the prison; unlocking the bindings on her wrists with his keys.

Amazement and confusion swirled in her mind when she found the armory devoid of soldiers. Gathering a few weapons to aid her, Sebryn then hid in a secluded alcove and took a moment to flex her mental abilities.

She reached out through the city, carefully sensing for the best way out. There was a building, not too far from her current position, that held a communications platform. If she could make it there, she could send a signal for help.

The city of Celestis was beautiful, but it was cold and sterile. There was a new feeling of tension and fear permeating the air. Soldiers patrolled the streets in odd maze-like patterns.

If she didn't know better, she would have thought they were herding, or perhaps leading, someone or something toward the prison cells. Then, she saw them.

Five men scurried from alcove to alcove, hiding in the shadows as best they could, along a nearly deserted street.

They were strangely dressed, and their weapons were unknown to her; all except the staff the black-haired one carried. It was an antiquated version of the staves used by the priors. There was more, though - she could sense he was one of her kin.

A wave of disgust coursed through her at the sight of it. Among her people, it was considered an abomination to abuse the spirits of the drakkons by using the Prior's staves.

Sebryn had to wonder if  _he_  was the reason the white drakkon had fled from Albion.

Had things taken such a turn for the worst that the drakkon and her human had fled from their own kind? She wondered.

Her stomach twisted and she cursed silently. The four humans could be easily dispatched. The one who carried the staff would be a bit more difficult. However, as she watched them more, she could tell the man seemed to be suffering.

"Good." She muttered out loud.  _It served him right for abusing his power._  Glancing over to her left, she could see the path that led to the Communications building. Sebryn could easily slip through to that room and set a trap to lead the men directly to her.

Once inside, the room could be secured while she waited for help to arrive.

If they even deemed it safe enough to come for her. She figured she would probably have to escape the city in order for her people to find her.

But, even if they couldn't, Sebryn still needed to tell them what she had learned about the Furling from Albion, the drakkon, and the Orici.

* * *

Gwaine stumbled and squinted. Lights danced in front of his eyes and made his head pound. He'd been through enough training to realize that they had walked into some sort of trap. A flash grenade of some sort had gone off the moment they had walked through the door.

He fingered his gun, squeezed his eyes shut and tried to listen. Thankfully, whatever had been used, hadn't made a sound. Although, he could feel the pressure in his head from the minor shockwave it had produced.

His vision just started to come back to him, when he felt someone kick the back of his knees. He felt his legs go out from under him. A hand grabbed his hair and pulled his head back.

A knee in the small of his back and the edge of a blade at his throat made him freeze momentarily to assess his situation.

Arthur's shouting seemed to distract his assailant enough that he was able to grab the arm over his shoulder. The blade nicked the side of his neck as he threw the person over his head.

The grunt of wind being expelled from his attacker's lungs caused the person to let go of his hair. Gwaine pushed himself back and brought up the assault rifle.

What he saw wasn't what he had expected. A young woman, barely more than a girl, laid on her back and staring up at him in surprise and anger.

Her brown hair was matted and wild; her clothing soiled and torn. She didn't look like one of the Ori's followers. In fact, she looked more like an escapee from a mental institution.

Dark brown eyes stared at him in defiance. Gwaine had to smirk. She obviously had thought herself better prepared to take on five trained men. "You guys okay?" He asked, keeping his eyes trained on the girl.

"Merlin's out cold, but he's alive." Leon responded. He knelt near the dark-haired man, slumped against the wall.

Arthur had his sword out, and was moving toward the girl menacingly. "Who are you?" He demanded, bringing the sword to her throat.

"Me? You are the ones who broke into this secured room. Who are you?" The girl snapped. She glared at the men vehemently.

Taken aback, Arthur paused, "I asked you first."

"So?"

"So? So, what?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

Gwaine's snickers turned their attention toward him. "It's obviously you don't belong here either."

Her only response was to narrow her eyes and cower on the floor.

Percival stepped in between his friends and the girl. He lowered his gun and pulled a meal bar out of his pocket. "You look hungry."

Arthur rolled his eyes and backed away, tapping Gwaine on the shoulder. They would let Percival deal with the girl, while they moved to check on Merlin and assist Leon. Waving his hand at the unfamiliar control panel, he asked, "Leon, is this the type of computer thing you needed?"

The tall man nodded.

"Good. See if you can find what we're looking for."

Unwrapping the bar, Percival held it out to the girl. He offered her a friendly smile. "My name is Percival. What's yours?"

"Sebryn." She said softly. Her breath was still coming in short gasps. The weeks of imprisonment and torture had taken its toll on her body. There had been a time when she could have taken these men easily. Her mistake was in assuming that only the Furling man would have been an issue.

The way he was slumped against the far wall, told her he wasn't the one she should have been concerned with. It was obvious now that the others were professionally trained warriors.

She pushed herself up to a sitting position and cautiously held her hand out for the food.

His smile grew and he crouched down next to her. "See, we're not so bad."

Sebryn took a bite of the meal bar and nearly gagged, "Are you trying to poison me?!"

Gwaine shook his head and laughed from the other side of the room. MRE's, or Meals Ready to Eat, were a staple in the military for survival in places where they didn't have the time or means to make a real meal. They were designed for the protein content and necessary vitamin intake. Taste was not something that factored into their production.

"Naw. If we were going to poison someone, we'd use something that tasted better. Make certain they'd eat it all without complaint." He gave her a wink before turning back to Merlin.

She found herself giving Gwaine a shy, little grin. Sebryn took another bite of the food, grimacing again at the taste of it. "Who are you guys? You don't look like you're from around here."

Percival held out a bottle of water. "The jokester is Gwaine and that's Leon." He gestured to the man attempting to figure out the control console. "That's Arthur..."

"...And Sleeping Beauty over here is Merlin." Gwaine said, just as Merlin began stir.

They all noticed the way her eyes narrowed and her mouth turned into a thin line when Gwaine introduced Merlin. It was as if she was willing to accept the others, but something about their friend displeased her.

"He's a Furling." She whispered.

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?" Gwaine paused to reevaluate Sebryn. He was curious how a girl who seemed to have recently escaped captivity knew what Merlin was.

"Well, he's not a Prior, and among the Furling people, it's against the laws and beliefs to carry or use one of the Prior's staves. Yet, he seems to have some command of it. So, I...uh... took a guess."

"Yeah. Right." He wasn't fully buying her reasoning. There was more to what she was saying. Something about her felt familiar to him. It took a few moments for him to put it together.

On Earth, and in the whole Milky Way, Merlin was the only Furling known to still exist...if they believed what Moros' journal told them. Yet, she said the term as if it was as common as saying human. The fact that she also referred to laws of the Furlings told him that she was more than familiar with that particular race of people.

He grinned as the pieces fell into place. Moros hadn't told the whole story in his journal. Somehow, that didn't come as a surprise to the roguish knight. Sebryn knew what Merlin was. He hadn't seen any signs of an actual flash grenade in the room, yet she had somehow managed to throw them back with a burst of light, obviously focused directly at Merlin.

The blast had felt familiar in a way, and now, Gwaine knew why. Sebryn had magic. He began chuckling.

"Something funny, Gwaine?" Merlin's voice croaked harshly. He reached up to massage his temples, in an attempt to alleviate the thundering headache that came from being blasted back against a wall.

"Yep. It seems our old...as in  _Ancient..._ friend forgot to tell us that Dragon Lords still exist here."

"What is a Dragon Lord?" The girl asked, her lip curling up in a sneer. She looked between the two men, before meeting Merlin's eyes.

" _Is that true? Are you really like me?"_ Merlin sent the question to her through his mind. He felt a mental block come down in her mind.

He knew that she had heard him, but couldn't understand why she seemed reluctant to answer. The only other person like him he'd ever met had been his father. All the rest of his knowledge had come from Moros' journal and the Nox.

A sense of desperation began to seed itself deep in his chest. If there were others, maybe they knew how to help him...to help Aithusa.

"Can you stand?" Arthur asked him, breaking Merlin's attention away from Sebryn.

Merlin nodded and reached out to gratefully accept his friend's assistance. His legs shook like Jello underneath him. He unconsciously shied away from the staff, when Arthur tried to give it to him. The look on his face betrayed his repulsion.

His action wasn't lost on Sebryn and she began to wonder if her initial assessment had been flawed. Her mental wall came down enough to ask him a question. " _Why do you use that, if it repulses you?"_

His blue eyes evaluated her cautiously and doubt replaced the initial hope he'd felt. While she did have magic, he wasn't ready to take Gwaine's word about her heritage. They were strangers in this galaxy. For all he knew, she could have been planted in this room to draw them in. " _I had no other choice."_

Brown eyes shifted away under the scrutiny of his gaze.

"Are there more like you here?" He asked out loud, hoping to get more information.

"No. I was the only one stupid enough to get captured coming after the white drakkon." She paused and finished the protein bar. "Why are you all here? Where did you come from?"

Percival noted the reluctance in the others to answer her directly. He understood their hesitance, but he'd always been one to accept things, and people, at face value. "We're from a planet called Earth. It's in another galaxy. We came to rescue Aithusa, the dragon, from the Ori."

"What about the human she is bonded with? I mean, she didn't get captured until after she reached Celestis. So, that tells me they might have been running away from something or someone. "

"That would be me." Merlin said softly. "I am her Dragon Lord. The person she brought here with her was my enemy who..." He stopped and sighed. He didn't want to relive the pain an explanation would entail. "I screwed up. I didn't know what I was doing. Aithusa and I are the last of our kind in our galaxy."

Sebryn stared at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. Her people had always assumed that those who had escaped had survived and thrived. To hear that he was the last, and to witness the pain in his face as he said it, broke her heart. "So, you used the staff...?"

"...To open the Stargate to come here. I only found out what it was a few months ago."

"Fracking hell!" Leon exclaimed, bringing his fist down on the console. "I can't seem to find anything to help us."

"Before you all walked in here, I sent a message to my people. They know I'm here, but it might take some time for them to..."

"To...what?" Percival asked, noticing the hesitance in her voice.

"They may not even decide to come. The needs of the whole...over just me and some drakkon they can't even confirm is actually here."

"She's here." Merlin snapped.

"I know that. But, they don't. I came here on my own, against orders from my father to leave it be. I knew she was here and that I needed to get proof before they would even consider helping."

Sebryn wrapped her arms around herself. "Even if they did...the Ori are so powerful..."

Percival took off his coat and laid it over the girl's shoulders. He looked toward the other men.

Arthur was beckoning for them to gather around and eyeing the girl warily, thankful that she stayed put when Percival came forward. "We can't keep searching blindly through the city. Either she is part of the trap-"

"No." Merlin shook his head and interrupted, "I think she's telling the truth."

"You think, or you hope?"

"Does it matter?"

"Fine." Arthur rubbed a hand over his face. He looked at his friend.

Merlin leaned heavily on the staff. His face was sweaty and pale, and there was a slight tremble to his hands. It had dawned on Arthur, just before they left home, that if they couldn't save Aithusa, it might well be a one-way trip.

Just before they had embarked through the Gate, Arthur had spoken to Leon about it and the ancient knight had assured him that the Asgard ship, sent out over a month before, was in the Celestis Galaxy. Mickey had been instructed to send out a message to Heimdall with the coordinates, once they were through the Stargate.

If all was going according to plan, then Heimdall would have relayed the message, and the Asgard were simply waiting for the signal to transport the men out of the city and back home. It was a last resort, as Arthur had hoped they would have found the wayward dragon and Merlin would get them home.

Judging by Merlin's current state, they were going to be lucky if his friend even survived this journey. He wondered how differently things might have turned out, had Arthur actually killed the dragon named Kilgharrah, back in Camelot. Would it have killed Merlin at that time, as well?

He didn't understand how deep the bond went, or why they were even connected. But, questioning the 'what ifs' didn't do any of them any favors. All they had was the here and now.

 _Now_ , was a dragon they couldn't find, inside a city of god-like beings who wished them dead, or enslaved by fear into believing they were powerless against the will of the Ori.

 _Now_ , was his best friends counting on him to make a decision to move forward.

 _Now_ , was a place so completely different from everything he had ever known...except for one thing. They were together. They were preparing to thwart an evil greater than themselves to save one of their own.

"Sebryn." Arthur said, turning toward the girl. "You said you had sent a message to your people through this computer thing, correct?"

She nodded, and took his question as permission to join their conversation.

"Please show Leon how you did that. Leon, contact the Asgard and find out how long it would take for them to get here. We will have until then to find the dragon. If we don't..."

Merlin flinched and opened his mouth to protest, but Arthur held up his hand.

"...If we don't, then we regroup back on the ship and try to find a different way to come at this. Perhaps, we can take Sebryn back to her people and ask for their aid. If they are Dragon Lords like you, Merlin, then they probably have more knowledge of what is happening and how to deal with it."

It only took a few moments for Sebryn to show Leon how to send a message, but she warned that since their friends didn't have the decryption program that her people used, their message might be compromised.

Standing at the door, the others waited; listening and watching for passing patrols. It was amazing to think that they hadn't yet been discovered. No alarms had yet rung out to call the soldiers to arms on a search for a missing prisoner or any intruders.

Gwaine had commented on the fact, and Sebryn had smirked at him. "You don't understand the Ori or the Priors very well then. They communicate by a type of telepathy. The Ori would have told the Doci, who would have passed it onto the other Priors, and then, if they thought it was an actual threat, they'd spread the word. But, one thing I've learned in my life, the Ori don't really give a crap as long as they don't lose followers, and the Doci is too arrogant to believe that we can escape the city."

At their questioning looks, she explained that the Doci was the leader of all the Priors, and the only one in direct communication with the Ori...or, at least he was, until the rumors of the Orici had begun to surface.

"Oh, the Orici is real." Gwaine assured her. "She used to be Morgana, the evil bitch who turned Aithusa against Merlin in the first place."

"Well, in any case, they know you're here. When I was watching you guys, before I led you into this room, I could tell they were using the patrols to lead you somewhere. I'm guessing it might have been to somewhere near the Flames of Enlightenment. Do they know you're here for the drakkon...or dragon, as you were calling her?"

"If anything, they probably think we're here to see if Jackson's weapon worked." Percival suggested and the others nodded in agreement.

"Weapon?"

The men explained to Sebryn about the weapon Moros had developed to wipe out any being in the Ascended plane in the galaxy. The girl laughed, "Well, the Ascended plane is probably about the same size as the entire galaxy, just shifted into a different dimension. It probably worked, but it's doubtful if it was able to reach everywhere. From what you're saying, it would need to either be placed near the heart of their power...or, at least where the greatest concentration of Ori are."

"Which would be the flaming pit Morgana showed me."

"I thought she was your enemy?" At this point, Sebryn became confused.

"She was, back then. When Aithusa brought her body here, Morgana's DNA was used to create the Orici. Some of her memories...like how she used to care for Aithusa...lay buried deep within her."

Percival chuckled softly, leaned in and whispered about his 'just nod and go with it' advice.

* * *

Leon checked the countdown on his watch. They had less than thirty Earth minutes left before the Asgard ship was due to arrive. That was providing that the ship hadn't met with any resistance. In the communication he had received back, the Asgard reported that another ship had come through the Supergate, approximately a day after the one that Dr Jackson had sent through with the weapon.

He feared, as did his companions, that Adria was on board the returning Ori vessel. If she was, then she might arrive in the city at any moment. While the previous altercation between Merlin and the Orici had gone in the warlock's favor, Merlin had been stronger and more prepared. One look at his friend, and Leon's gut twisted with the realization that the next time the two met, the outcome wouldn't be as good.

"We need to split up." He said, coming to halt near another side street that cut across their path. They had already spent too much time looking through the various buildings and dodging patrols, attempting to find their way to the prison where the dragon was being kept. The patrols of guards, which they had been trying to follow as Sebryn had suggested, had all but disappeared. The city felt even more like a desolate ghost town.

Night had enveloped the place, and the lights had dimmed considerably. While it offered them more shadows to hide in, it also brought with it a sense of danger - stronger than it had before.

The others stopped and looked at Leon with mixed reactions of confusion and agreement.

"If we split up, how is the group without Merlin going to be able to sense this dragon?" Arthur rubbed his hands over his face in exasperation. His mind was beginning to wander and it took more effort to keep his head in the game. Thoughts of Guinevere and the children - especially his little princess - kept invading his thoughts.

Sebryn made a small coughing sound in the back of her throat. "Um...hello? I can sense her, too. Maybe not as much as Merlin here, but it's something, right?"

Leon nodded. He had come to the same conclusion. "Percival and I will take Sebryn, and head left down this street. We'll contact you if we find a way to get inside.

Gwaine tapped the key on his radio's mic to test it.

Percival heard the click in his earpiece and nodded, before keying his own and receiving confirmation from Gwaine. They looked to Arthur and Merlin for the final verdict.

"Alright. Let's do it. I'm sick of running around in circles, anyway." He glanced at Merlin with a smirk. "You still have no sense of direction."

Merlin rolled his eyes, but agreed to the choice.

"The Asgard ship will beam us out as soon as they arrive, unless they hear from us to the contrary. If we haven't found the dragon by then, we'll get to safety and figure out another plan of attack." Leon confirmed their earlier agreement with a glance at his former king.


	17. Chapter 17

Nothingness. Black, cold and empty. A void of absolutely nothing. A thick wall of glass separated the pressurized interior from the infinite abyss outside. It still didn't make Arthur feel any more comfortable, knowing what he did now, than it had when he had first been brought on board the Prometheus back near Earth. If anything, it made him more nervous.

That ship had been destroyed. Back then, the Odyssey had been damaged, as had the Korolev. Even this ship, one of the Asgard designs and quite different than the Earth fleet, had taken fire and was now limping along through the vast expanse of space between the stars.

So far from home. So very far away, and now the person who had brought him here...the man who had brought the Knights of the Round Table back together again...was lost to them.

Arthur shut his eyes and tried not to envision what had happened, but the entire situation weighed heavily on his soul and the events replayed themselves behind his closed lids.

_Leon's team called to them on the radio. In an upper level of a nearby building, they found a bridge. From below, it had been partially obscured by buildings, but its construction out of a translucent material made it nearly impossible to detect._

_With less than five minutes until the rendezvous with the Asgard, the six of them started across the expanse to the central tower._

_Merlin finally began to perk back up._

They had been close...so damn close.

_Halfway there._

_They didn't know where in the building Aithusa was, but they concluded that Aithusa was probably being kept in one of the lower levels. The timing was critical. Leon had a medium-ranged communication device out and had been trying to hail the Asgard to get them a few more minutes._

_Then, all hell broke loose._

_The sound of sonic booms shook the bridge. Ori fighters had taken to the air. The massive form of an Ori mothership loomed above them, and Leon heard a message from the Asgard._

_The Asgard ship was taking fire._

_The pounding footfalls of running soldiers came from the building they had just exited. Arthur gave the order to run._

_Diving through the door on the opposite side, they slammed it closed behind them, ducking the blasts from the soldiers' weapons. Inside the room, Leon was frantically trying to communicate with the Asgard._

_Everything went from bad to worse when the center of the room lit up, and transport rings shot up from the floor._

_The light disappeared with the rings and Adria stood in the center, flanked by her warriors._

He wasn't sure exactly what had occured next. Everything seemed to happen at once.

_Leon yelled out that the Asgard couldn't get a lock. Gwaine and Percival had begun shooting at the soldiers._

_Arthur froze._

_The others had told him about Adria and her connection to Morgana. Physically, there were some minor similarities. What held him captive, though, were her eyes._

_They glowed with magic._

_His mind reeled and he saw her standing on a boulder near the cliff face, commanding her Saxon warriors. Morgana's eyes had flashed with the golden fire. Each time, however, they had returned to their normal green right afterward. Adria's were a solid, unflickering light and it made his spine crawl with fear._

The last time he had seen her, before Merlin had run her through, was at Camlann. The day he had been destined to die.

_The episode lasted no longer than a few seconds, but it was long enough._

_He raised his sword and charged straight toward Adria. His blood pounded in his ears and his vision was red with the need to be rid of her._

_A simple nod of her head and he was shot backwards. The sword fell from his hand when he hit the wall._

_She stalked toward him with a haughty smirk. Then suddenly, her body was wrenched to the side and Arthur glanced up to see Merlin's hand extended - the magic fading from his friend's eyes._

_The area of the Ring device was suddenly cleared. Percival's strong grasp lifted Arthur to his feet. They reached the center together - injured, but still alive._

_Leon managed to obtain one of the wristband controls from a downed soldier. Gwaine helped Sebryn, weakened from her time of imprisonment, to the circle. The former Marine then turned to assist Merlin._

Merlin.

_He almost made it to them, when Adria regained her senses. She made a motion of pulling something to her, and they had watched helplessly as Merlin had sailed backwards through the air._

_Gwaine and Arthur both yelled his name and started forward._

_The magic flashed in his eyes, as he activated the Rings._

They had made it...but, it was without Merlin.

_In an instant, the world around them changed. They found themselves on board the Ori ship._

_The Ori ship's shields were down and a brief moment after they had materialized, they found themselves engulfed in a wave of light that transported them to the waiting Asgard vessel._

_Still taking fire, the commander of the ship ordered his crew to engage the hyperdrive and quicker than Arthur could blink, the stars outside the viewport had blurred._

_Arthur raged, as did Gwaine. He ordered the Asgard to turn around. The alien blinked stoically at the former king with his large, black eyes before turning back to his controls and beginning the process of managing repairs to his ship._

_Leon spoke to the slender alien in a language that Arthur didn't understood. Responding in the same tongue, the commander shook his head._

" _Their shields, weapons, and some life support systems have been seriously compromised." Leon explained to the others, as he leaned exhaustedly against a nearby bulkhead. They were all exhausted, as was normal when the adrenaline rush of battle wore off. "This ship would be probably be destroyed by another attack from the Ori."_

" _But, we need to go back for Merlin!" Gwaine shouted and pounded his fist into wall. His eyes darkened with anger and grief._

" _I know that. They know that. But, if we go back now, everyone on this ship would be in danger. The Ori followers are on alert. They know we're here in their galaxy. It would be absolute suicide." He blew out through pursed lips and ran a hand through his hair._

_Percival frowned and calmly asked, "What can we do?"_

" _Our only hope is to find someplace to lay low for a few days, while the repairs are being made and try to come up with some other plan of attack, as we had agreed."_

" _...And, in the meantime...what?! They'll likely kill Merlin..."_

" _No."_

_The argument paused. The men glanced down at the petite girl who had spoken the one word with such strong conviction._

" _He's a Furling. They'll torture him. Try to find out where the rest of my people are. But, they won't kill him...at least, not intentionally. On the plus side, he might have an easier time finding his drakkon. Being in close proximity to her should help them both."_

" _What do you mean?" Arthur asked, suddenly interested in what Sebryn had to say._

" _If the Furlings who went to Albion haven't developed the cure that we did, then being separated would end up killing them both." She went into an explanation about genes and how the innate powers of the dragons worked._

She had successfully lost Arthur in the first five seconds of her ramblings. He had been grateful to see that Leon seemed to grasp the concept. All of it was too far over his head to comprehend. He only knew they had escaped, but it didn't matter since they had lost Merlin.

_He held up his hand to stop her. "In layman's terms, please?"_

_Gwaine was the one who answered, "It's almost like a piece of taffy. When Aithusa left Earth with Morgana, it began stretching their bond until it nearly broke."_

_Leon continued, "When the Supergate opened, it had been a violent reaction of the two pieces being shoved back together, which caused Merlin's collapse."_

_Arthur was finally beginning to grasp what they were saying. He'd been fascinated by the taffy pulling machines in the storefront windows of candy shops. It had since become one of his favorite treats in the modern world. "If I understand you, then the two of them being close..."_

"... _Will start to work together again and become one." Sebryn said with a hopeful smile._

" _Frack."_

" _What is it, Gwaine?" Leon's eyes narrowed. He did not like the tone of Gwaine's curse._

" _Sebryn," he asked, ignoring Leon. "What would happen if one of the sides had been messed up by something like dark magic?" Gwaine's mind drifted back to the surgery when Carolyn had removed the sword piece from Arthur's chest. He explained to Sebryn how Merlin had tried to help with his magic, but the shrapnel, created by a sword burnished with Aithusa's magic, had been repulsed._

_The young Furling woman bit her bottom lip. She shuffled her feet and drew her arms around herself._

" _What is it?" Percival asked, noticing her apprehension._

" _If her genetic code has been changed by the Ori, or something else...your friend's will be, too."_

That conversation had taken place what seemed like hours ago to the former king. He didn't know enough about magic or modern science to help come up with a plan. Staring out the window at the blackness of space, he felt more lost than he ever had before.

Guinevere and the children...at this moment, he wasn't sure if he'd ever see them again. He was thankful for the time he'd had with them.

"Hey."

He turned away from the window and gave Percival a nod.

The larger man held out an open flask. "I nicked this off of Gwaine."

Somehow, it didn't surprise Arthur to find out that the roguish man had brought along a bit of alcohol. Normally, Arthur would have simply smiled his thanks and passed, but instead, he took a hefty swallow from the flask. It warmed his throat on the way down, serving its purpose of taking the edge off his mental anguish.

"Sebryn managed to contact her people. They've agreed to give us safe harbor, while the Asgard make their repairs."

"What about going after Merlin?"

Percival shook his head. "They only said it would be discussed when we arrive."

Arthur knew what that meant, especially during times of war. He took another drink. "Gather the other two and Sebyrn. I need all the information I can get, if I am to convince them to aid us."

"You're going to get them to help?" The knight asked hopefully.

"Of course I am, Percival. I might be a little out of practice, but while you were all out on the training fields and patrols, I was the one still in Camelot hosting neighboring kingdoms and creating treaties. Even in this strange place, people are essentially the same - they want what is best for their own. I plan to give it to them, and gain their support for our cause in the process."

"Yes, Sire." He grinned and bowed before setting off to find the others.

Arthur's bravado faded the moment his friend left his sight. Leon's words resounded in his brain. It would be suicide to go back in now. He knew that, and yet he would gladly face anything that was thrown at him to save his men...especially, Merlin.

Getting the Furling Resistance to assist them was a last ditch effort, a Hail Mary as Gwaine would call it.

In all honesty, he had never managed the negotiation of a treaty with a completely unknown faction, without either Merlin or Guinevere at his side. He hoped he wasn't fooling himself into thinking he could.

* * *

"Time to wake up." The soft, melodic voice tempted him back into consciousness.

When he didn't respond right away, Adria slapped Merlin's face. The shock of the blow brought his mind into focus.

"You shouldn't have come here." She scolded him. "You aren't part of the Resistance against the Ori in this galaxy, or even part of the Stargate. You perplex me. I knew you were coming, but I don't understand why or who you are. I should tell you, however, that the weapon failed."

He tasted the metallic tinge of blood in his mouth and spat it out on the floor. He carefully glanced around. The room was large and bare, like most everything in the city. Across one wall stretched elaborate metal fencing with a gate in the middle.

Merlin had seen such metalwork made out of wrought iron at various estates back home. Even his own manor had some, but the metal of these swirls weren't made from iron. He couldn't tell what they were made of, though he knew he had seen and felt something like it before.

Behind the gate, flames appeared to roar, but yet were silent. He wondered for a moment if it was a hologram.

Adria followed his gaze and smiled. She walked over to the gate and caressed the intricate metal dowels. With extreme care, she slowly opened it. "These bars were made eons ago...meant to keep unworthy men from touching the power of the Ori and seeing the truth beneath."

"The Ori..." Merlin hissed out, feeling the power suddenly unleashed. He realized that the metal had been holding back the energy, like the chains that Morgause had once used to bind him, and also the ones that had kept Kilgharrah captive below Camelot. If he hadn't already guessed that it was the Sidhe who had given the knowledge to Uther that kept the dragon prisoner, he now had confirmation of where the knowledge originated.

Her voice carried on in the deceptive sing-song quality of an innocent, young lady. "The cleansing flames of their power rise up from the pit below. It is glorious to behold, is it not? Those who gazed upon its magnificence...the power of the Ori...and who were found worthy become the teachers of the path. The Priors. Those who are not...they burn."

She began to pace around the room. He could see the flames now surrounding and cloaking her. The power emanated off of her in waves that threatened to suffocate what little magic he had left. _How many times had he seen religious zealots like her_ , he wondered. Whether it was a single person, a village, or an entire planet, it never got any easier to witness.

Merlin had always wondered how long it would take for fate to catch up with him. He'd dodged the pyre his entire life.

Reaching out with his senses, he felt Aithusa nearby. So close...but, she was weak, and so was he.

If he didn't get Aithusa away from here soon, they both would die. He sent the message silently to the dragon.

Merlin jerked back. He felt her desire to be done with the hardships and suffering.

Adria was circling him...smirking at him. "I know you're here for the creature-"

"Aithusa." He managed to say out loud, cutting her off. "Her name is Aithusa."

"You say that like I should care that the beast has a name. It is her duty to protect and serve her creators, the Ori." Adria sighed, "But, she seems to resist any of our attempts to bring her into our care."

Morgana's presence seemed to be a distant memory, when he looked into the eyes of the woman taunting him. If she was still in there somewhere, he no longer had the power to draw her out, at least not alone.

"That's what you get for enslaving a magical creature who doesn't like to listen."

"Magic?" She giggled, "There is no such thing as magic. I am certain the power of the Ori must appear to be magic to someone as simpleminded as you, though."

"Magic is real. You know that, Morgana." He said, in a desperate attempt to reach out to the woman buried deep inside. Merlin sent his words out with his mind, as well. If he could just reach Aithusa, then he might have a chance.

He searched for a way to keep her talking. With each minute that passed, he felt some of his strength returning to him. Although, it was difficult with the energy emanating from the flames. His training with the monks in Tibet began to come back to him, and he found a place deep inside that allowed him to anchor his mind.

"Why do you call me that?" She asked innocently. "You called me that name on the planet where Merlin was found."

"I am Merlin."

Clicking her tongue, she shook her head as if to admonish him. "Merlin? No. Merlin gave his memories to Daniel Jackson. He failed, by the way. Merlin and his weapon. He knew I was going to use it against the Ancients. But, if he knew he was going to send it through the wormhole and try to use it here, I don't understand why he would have made it to fail.

"We have the schematics now, in my ship's database. It won't take long for us to rebuild and reconfigure the weapon before we send it back through. The Ori will soon rule over both galaxies. Their power will be endless and the people will see the truth."

Suddenly, Adria paused, "You were there, though...when the real Merlin gave Daniel his memories." She moved over to the dark-haired man and crouched down in front of him. "I suppose it might be possible that he somehow cloned his memories and implanted them in you both.

"It is strange, however, I don't really sense that about you. There is something else, though. You were the one responsible for the time interval I had lost on that world." She looked at him curiously. Her soft features disguising the monster beneath the surface. "Tell me, what did you do to me?"

Merlin gazed at Adria with grim determination, challenging her to try and pull the answers out of him. She obviously remembered something. If she did, he thought he could use the opening to get back into her mind. All it would take would be a crack, and he hoped it would allow him to break through to Morgana's consciousness buried deep inside.

Unfortunately, Adria didn't push him.

"Well, you will tell me soon enough, I'm certain. I have plans for you."

She shifted her path and moved behind him. It sounded like she had picked something up off the ground, but Merlin continued to stare ahead of him, attempting to focus his tumultuous mind. He was out of practice, even though he had begun to meditate again recently.

"Your friends seemed to find it amusing to try and escape. One of them had the gall to try to use a rather primitive weapon against me. They were easily captured."

A sword point grazed the skin of Merlin's neck. He flinched as it bit into his flesh. Shifting his eyes to the side, his heart sank. The Rings had taken his companions out of the room when Adria had appeared. After that, he didn't know what had happened.

Arthur's sword appeared out of place in her slender hand. He could feel trickles of blood running down his neck from the small cut, but he had to school himself to hide the small bit of relief he finally felt.

Kilgharrah's magic always did that to him. He found himself missing the old dragon, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Such a pity that a blade so beautiful, is so useless." Adria moved the point away from Merlin's neck and thrust it awkwardly in the air, like a fencing blade and not the way it was meant to be used. "Your friends will be given one last chance to accept Origin, or they will perish."

Merlin's chuckle caught her off guard. She had no idea that the magic in the blade had helped to clear his mind. He had reached out through the city and smiled when he couldn't sense his friends anywhere.

Adria had lied about capturing them, he realized with relief. "You are as deranged and insane as the one whose DNA they molded you from."

"I don't understand..." She said, completely confused by the change in his demeanor.

"Clearly, you don't. The Ori made a mistake in creating you. I knew Morgana, before she went mental. Her soul still resides within you, though it is weak and fleeting. The Ori mistook her for a Dragon Lord. They thought that by creating you from her, they would be able to control Aithusa, but you can't even remember her, can you?"

He pushed himself off the floor, silently gathering his energy. He felt Aithusa attempt to lift her head, as she heard the name of her mistress spoken. It wasn't much, but the small spark of hope in the dragon gave him something to work with.

"Do you know why I am here? Do you have any clue why you haven't killed me yet?"

Adria glared at him and took an unconscious step back.

"I am here to free her from you, and from Morgana's ghost. I let it be for too long, thinking that if I just gave her space that eventually we would come to terms someday.

"The Ori stole their power from the dragons long ago. I will not leave here without her. This time, I shall not stand by idly while she is tortured for the whims of evil."

Adria scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I'd like to see you try."

Merlin summoned his magic to him, drawing from the web around him. He was tired of the games she was playing.

Before, when he had met her, she hadn't seem like the type to drag out a situation. She was young and impatient. Now, she appeared to relish her attempt at verbal torture.

He wondered if she had any inclination of what was about to hit her, when he suddenly let loose a powerful burst of magic.

It hit the shield created by the pendant around her neck. She brought up her arms instinctively to protect herself. The sword dropped from her hand and skittered across the floor.

The waves of his magic cascaded around her - forcing her backwards. But, the flames that she wore like a cloak mingled with his invisible magic and burned it away before it could truly touch her. Whether it was the proximity of the Ori's power, or that her subconscious had learned how to protect her from his magic, he didn't know.

"You are powerful, I'll give you that." She snarled, dropping the innocent demeanor and smoothing down the front of her gown. Her eyes hardened for a moment, before she smiled cooly. Her gaze shifted to something behind him.

Merlin was tempted to look, but he didn't dare take his eyes off of her. From the corner of his eye, he caught something moving. The moment a hand clamped down on his shoulders, he grabbed it and spun around, his leg striking out in a roundhouse kick into the midsection of the man behind him.

Allowing his centuries of training to kick in, his movements became automatic. Soldiers surrounded him and he fought them off, catching a glimpse of a door that had been behind him. His options were limited, as his mind quickly raced through the possibilities.

Breaking through the Ori's followers to the door, and a potential escape, was the simplest...even with Adria at his back, and an unknown host of possibilities beyond.

Another soldier fell from Merlin's flying fists, taking down the man behind him, as well. He managed to dodge a blast from one of the weapons, ducking as it hit the wall above him and left a mark on the previous pristine surface.

The gate stood open with the flames of the Ori raging beyond. If he had any inclination of what was actually below, he might have been willing to take a chance to break through in that direction.

He spun around and leapt over another man, using him like a shield to take two blasts in the chest. Training and sparring with his friends had finally taught him to avoid such weapons, and he sent a silent word of thanks to Leon for the hard lesson learned.

Then, a glimmer caught his eye.

The sword.

Arthur's sword.

It laid on the floor, discarded and forgotten behind Adria. She still had a smug look of superiority on her face, though her men were dropping like flies.

Merlin didn't know if her shield would protect her from a physical attack. It hadn't in their past meeting, but she was obviously much more powerful this time.

Taking a chance, he began to make a path away from the door. He had to get the sword.

The look of incredulity on Adria's face was priceless, as he shoved her aside and somersaulted toward the blade.

His fingertips touched the hilt, but that was as far as he got before an invisible wave forced the sword further away from him.

He cried out in disbelief as it shot through the gate, and balanced precariously on the edge of the platform over the pit of flames.

Pain radiated through him. His muscles spasmed and cramped as Adria's power suddenly began clawing at his bones. Merlin's vision blurred and he found his strength leaving him. She had recovered faster than he had anticipated.

He was only mildly aware of arms circling his biceps and hauling him roughly toward the edge of the precipice.

"If you were to accept Origin into your heart, you could be with your creature. You are powerful, more so than I ever could have imagined. Perhaps you are the real Merlin. You could rule at my side and we could mold the entire universe to our whim." The Orici's voice offered seductively. "All you need to do, is to look upon the power of the Ori and be found worthy.

He closed his eyes tightly, refusing to look into the flames. Aithusa cried out in his mind.

A strong hand sank into the hair on his scalp. The pain radiated into his skull and his eyes opened instinctively.

At first, he saw nothing, but then a face began to form in the dancing orange flames. It called to the depths of his soul, reflecting his desires, and offering peace.

Thoughts of his friends and family were stripped from his heart, consumed by the power, and he watched as they burned away into nothingness.

Everything he'd held onto for so many centuries disappeared in the flames, and the darkness within him rejoiced.


	18. Chapter 18

 

Even the commander of the Asgard ship appeared impressed, which was a nearly impossible feat unto itself.

However, Arthur wasn't ready to count his chickens just yet. He'd been able to formulate a plan of attack of sorts with the information he had obtained. Although, by attack, he meant the first meeting with the leaders of the Resistance.

He'd grilled Sebryn about every detail he could imagine - from protocol for meeting the leaders to phrases he should watch out for. He didn't want to leave anything to chance if he could help it.

At one point, he saw the commander lean over toward Leon. "It appears that the Asgard High Council made an accurate assessment of his abilities to negotiate."

Arthur's confidence accepted the boost and he felt ready to sway the Resistance to his cause. Standing at the window, the view had changed. He felt his mouth drop open in amazement. He wished his wife had been at his side when they first caught sight of the gaseous nebula that loomed on the horizon.

It was beautiful. Colors, unlike anything Arthur had ever imagined, swirled like clouds. Guinevere would have cried upon seeing it. As it was, though, he could still see the astonishment written in the faces of his knights standing beside him and he knew it mirrored his own.

Not long after that, the ship was met by an even more amazing sight. People -actual people - riding on the backs of dragons, surrounded the ship and began guiding them deeper into the nebula. They weren't wearing any type of space suit, but he could see a slight shimmer around each of them and guessed it must have been a type of magic that protected them from the coldness of space.

His strongest thought, however, was that Merlin should have been there. Merlin should have been the one to see this first and know with absolutely certainty that he was not alone in the universe.

The dragons were all different colors. Some looked like the dragon who had been chained under Camelot. Others were a red that matched the predominate color of the nebula, and still others were green and blue...and even some as black as the star filled voids of space.

"We need to rescue him, Arthur. We need to show him." Gwaine stated softly.

Arthur couldn't agree more. He knew that this was the moment Merlin should have witnessed.

* * *

The Asgard ship docked at a space station, and Arthur and his men were offered transport to a nearby planet. There weren't any windows in the shuttle, so they were blind to their course and destination. When they finally stepped out of the craft a few hours later, they were astonished to see a glorious city spread out before them.

It was apparent that the architecture was old, but everything seemed clean. Grand buildings graced the skyline and dragons flew through the air; some with riders, some without. All the designs seemed to integrate the great creatures either in form or function. It was a stark contrast to the Ori city they had recently left behind.

There was nothing untouchable or cold; the very stones from which the city was built, seemed to thrum with life.

The city itself was alive, for lack of a better description. Vines covered many of the buildings and trees grew wherever they could take root. It didn't matter if it was the roof of a building or the streets below. Life was everywhere.

Children ran and laughed, playing games around them. They looked human enough, but it was hard for Arthur to judge. Sebryn had said that all those who sat on the council were bonded, but she had made sure to clarify that not all of her people were Dragon Lords, as Arthur had called them. Most were ordinary people, either descended from the Dragon Lords, or rescued from the Ori occupied planets.

Arthur was reminded of when he and Merlin had gone to the Disir to plead for Mordred. His servant had seemed so sad that Arthur couldn't feel the life pulsing around them.

Now, however, he could. He finally understood what Merlin had been describing that night.

" _There can be no place for magic in Camelot."_

Regret gnawed at his soul. He wondered why Merlin had said such a thing, when it was painfully obvious the way life could have thrived with it. He needed to ask Merlin about that, but first, they had to rescue him.

They were shown to guest quarters in a building that resembled the many of castles he had grown up seeing and visiting, except the ceilings were taller, and sported windows high above that allowed the dragons to come and go as they pleased.

Watching the magnificent creatures soaring at the top of the cathedral-style ceiling made Arthur feel small. His place in the universe seemed to be nothing compared to theirs. He'd fought against men and magic, but it had never ranged much beyond the borders of Camelot. Taking a breath and striding forward, he pushed his insecurities to the background. It wouldn't do for the men he was trying to gain favor with to see his fear.

They were allowed to clean up in a private set of rooms. Each man was lost in their own thoughts about what was to come, and not much was said between them.

A servant appeared at their door and presented an offer for them to be introduced to the council.

There was no way he could have been ready. Nothing that could have been said to him would have prepared him for going before the leaders of the Resistance. Sebryn had told him about each member of the council who led her people, but she neglected to say that half of them were dragons.

Their sizes ranged from as small as a warhorse, to one that Arthur was certain was twice the size of the Great Dragon. They all turned his way, and stared at him and his knights.

"Holy fracking shit." Gwaine breathed out. "We're in trouble."

The only response Arthur managed was a mumbled, "I concur."

* * *

"Welcome, King Arthur of Earth." A bald man, sitting at the center of the table called out. He had a pleasant smile plastered on his face, punctuated by a sculpted goatee.

Arthur could see the cold calculation behind the man's eyes. They were a deep brown, filled with wisdom of many centuries. The smoothness in the man's voice gave nothing away. Arthur felt his defenses rise. He'd met enough kings and nobles that he knew to be wary of this one. He seemed ancient and youthful at the same time, much like Merlin, but the years had not been as kind to the man's outward appearance.

The man was smart and while Sebryn hadn't called it magic, she had implied that many of the Dragon Lords had abilities that mirrored Merlin's...including being able to discern the truth through only a few words.

Behind the man, laid a massive black dragon with golden eyes, curled on the floor. The dragon's face was large enough that one eye was seen on each side of the man.

Arthur wasn't sure who he trusted less. Power radiated off both man and creature. They were obviously the leaders of the people and the Resistance against the Ori.

Arthur bowed, as he would have to any other monarch on their home turf. He cast a polite smile, but held his tongue.

Sebryn had warned him not to say anything until he had been invited to sit, and even then, he should keep his thoughts and his words the same.

"I hear that I have you to thank for my daughter's return."

It was all Arthur could do to simply bow his head and keep his thoughts clear. He wished he had paid more attention to the meditative exercises that Merlin had tried to teach him. The tables were spread out in a semicircle from the leader. Judging by the marks on the floor, they normally sat in the center of the room and formed a complete circle. The current arrangement had been modified as a show of power for the newcomers.

He knew the drill and his anxious smile began to change to one of self-confidence. Arthur was afraid. He wouldn't deny that to anyone. As he searched the eyes of the seven humans sitting behind the tables and the great dragons behind them, he wasn't certain if he could be more terrified.

That didn't stop him though, from throwing all the information about propriety out the window.  _To hell with their traditions_ , he thought. Merlin and his dragon were in peril, and he was in a position to do something about it.

When the leader - Gilgamesh, as he recalled Sebryn saying - referred to the girl as his daughter, Arthur got the feeling it wasn't in the general sense of the word, as in a daughter of his people. No, he smirked to himself, watching Gilgamesh's eyes. The leader had meant that statement quite literally.

"You are most welcome, My Lord." Arthur bowed again, but this time maintained eye contact. "In fact, she was very instrumental in her own escape from the Ori. Destiny saw fit to put us in each other's path at the precise time we needed each other most."

Gilgamesh leaned forward, stroking his chin thoughtfully and obviously intrigued. Arthur could feel the pressure of someone trying to enter his mind. He held firm under the leader's gaze and allowed his mind to open. He had no reason to keep secrets from these people, and doing so would only slow down the process.

He focused on one thought and brought it to forefront of his mind.  _Merlin._  His next thought was chosen carefully.  _The Ori,_  and what they had done in his galaxy. The disaster they were wreaking upon the people of the Milky Way.

The leader sat back and sneered. Arthur didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Gilgamesh really didn't care about the other galaxy. It was inconsequential to him, when his own had been suffering under the rule of the Ori for generations.

"I know you may think me selfish, for being more concerned about my people and my home, but that is far from the truth." Arthur clasped his hands behind his back and boldly strode forward.

"Stop!" A woman from one of the side tables commanded, "You have not been given leave to speak, or to -"

"Let him speak, Mantrassa." The large black dragon said. His voice echoed through the Great Hall.

The woman held her tongue, but continued glaring at Arthur.

Arthur bowed his head in gratitude, and continued his speech.

"What these...people - the Ori - have done: in enslaving your galaxy, and in their initial creation of your kind...it can never be undone. Nor, should the past be erased. The only way to defeat them, is to move forward.

"However, if not for your history, I would never have known the man whom I consider to be the greatest man I have ever met. He is named after the Ancient who sought to help your people long ago. Now, he is in dire need of our assistance, along with his dragon...drakkon companion.

"The Merlin your people knew gave the last of his life recently, in an attempt to thwart the Ori. He devised a weapon that would reach through the fabric of reality and destroy them in their own home."

"Does your friend, who carries Merlin's name, have the knowledge of how to build this weapon and make it work?" Gilgamesh asked casually, already knowing the answer.

"He does not."

The smirk on Gilgamesh's face told Arthur that the man had seen more in Arthur's mind than the former king had hoped.

"Then, why should we sacrifice all the ground we have gained in our war, to save someone who can't even understand the bond he shares."

"Because it's the right thing to do!" Gwaine yelled out. His temper flared at the arrogant display of the so-called noble council.

The gathering began arguing and calling the Earthmen out for their blatant disregard of protocol.

Gilgamesh closed his eyes momentarily. When he reopened them, a flash of gold was fading. He held up his hand and almost instantly the council quieted. "King Arthur, ambassador to the people of Earth and Albion. Please, continue."

"Thank you, My Lord. I humbly apologize for the outburst of my companion." It was hard for him to not look at Gwaine, but years of training under his father had taught him how to ignore certain factors.

"You apologize for his outburst, but not the intent of his words. How very interesting." Gilgamesh said, reading more into Arthur's thoughts.

"I do not, My Lord, for I feel much the same way. In my heart, I know it is the right thing to do. We came to your galaxy to save the drakkon he shares a bond with. He is the last of his kind, your kindred, in all of Albion. He had no knowledge of his birthright when I first met him, nor had he ever known his father. Dragons, as we call your kind..." It took all of Arthur's nerve to look into one of the golden eyes of black creature. "...Were all but gone."

He could see his news had affected at least one of the council members, though the large black drakkon didn't even twitch. Arthur took it as a good inclination that he was on the right track. Without embellishments, he began to tell Merlin's story. By the end, he could see that his words had managed to sway more of them.

"Merlin does not have knowledge of the Ancient weapon. However, we personally know those who do. If you would aid us in rescuing him, we would gladly attempt to contact them and recreate the weapon with greater efficacy.

"Sebryn had surmised, based on what we told her, that its only flaw was in that it was too weak to work on such a broad scale."

"She is correct. We have this weapon in our custody and our scientist have arrived at the same conclusion."

The news caught Arthur by surprise. He had assumed that Adria had control of the weapon. If the Furlings had it in their possession, perhaps they had a chance to reuse it.

"We will discuss your situation in depth, and re-examine our position where the weapon is concerned. You and your companions will be given safe passage through our city, while your ship is repaired." Gilgamesh waved his hand dismissively.

Arthur felt the others stiffen behind him, not ready to give up the fight. He knew, however, from past experience that anything more he had to say would fall on deaf ears. Bowing once again, he turned and walked out.

* * *

Unconsciously, he flinched. A loud rush of wind buffeted his back and a long shadow passed over his head. Nothing could ever make Arthur accustomed to the sight of the dragons. They seemed to know it, especially the little ones.

They were as curious about him as he was about them, but with less fear.

He and his men had been given a guide to escort them through the city, while they waited for the council to come to a decision. However, that had been nearly four days ago.

Leon was working with the Furling scientists to get the weapon back up and running. The power source had been depleted with the initial activation. It could take some time, they had told Arthur. Time was something that always plagued Arthur. He didn't have the patience gained from centuries of practice, as Merlin and Leon did.

He also didn't possess any of the technical skills to be of any help in their research. Thoughts of Merlin ravaged through his mind. Arthur had to wonder if his friend was still alive.

Sebryn assured him that there was a good possibility of it. Merlin was a valuable asset, even if he didn't have any direct knowledge of the Resistance.

The young woman, a princess by all accounts, had invited them for supper after their initial meeting with the council. She wore a form fitted slip of a dress that made Arthur avert his eyes modestly.

Gwaine had started flirting with her instantly, making the Arthur curious about the former knight's supposed relationship with the doctor back on Earth. When he questioned Gwaine quietly, the man had shrugged it off, proclaiming that a little harmless flirting wouldn't hurt anybody. To Arthur, it appeared like Gwaine was out to prove something.

Dinner had been tasty, filled with exotic fare and a few things that Arthur had vowed silently never to eat again.

It had taken a comment from Leon later that evening to point out to Percival that despite Gwaine's attempts, Sebryn only seemed to have eyes for the large knight.

Percival had blushed incessantly, and the other three men got a good laugh at their friend's expense.

The laughing had only increased when Gwaine had brought up Cassie from the SGC. Judging by the surprised look on Percival's face, they all began to realize how clueless their large friend was when it came to courting women.

Gwaine had vowed that once they got back to Earth, he would try to find Percival a date, and Percival admitted that he might not mind - if it was possibly Cassandra from the SGC.

Home. They all had someone waiting for them to return.

Arthur's internal meandering was interrupted, when the same servant from the first day approached him.

"Gilgamesh would like to see you." He stated with a simple bow, before he turned and walked away.

Steeling his courage, Arthur went to meet with the Furling leader. He hoped the man had an answer for him.

* * *

"Gather your things. We move out as soon as possible." Arthur said, coming into the common room he shared with the others. He paused to evaluate his knights and smiled when he saw they were already packed.

"We sort of guessed." Leon explained, "They figured out an alternative power source for the weapon earlier this afternoon, while working with the Asgard. All the preliminary tests show that it works."

"Do you think it really will?" Gwaine's brow was pinched, obviously hesitant to believe their turn of fortune. Leon shrugged in response, and Gwaine turned back to Arthur. "Where does that leave us?"

The former king had a plan, but refused to let himself think about it while still in the Furling city. "Gilgamesh told me he was willing to send a small strike team with us into the Ori city. He would like our first priority to assist in the weapon's deployment. After which, the team would then help us locate Merlin and Aithusa."

Percival shook his head. "That's not exactly what we're going to do, though, is it?"

Arthur offered his men a tight-lipped smile. He was careful to not let his thoughts go beyond his agreement with Gilgamesh. "I will evaluate the situation more carefully, when we get back to that city."

In less than an hour, the four men were sitting once again in the windowless shuttle. Leon had been in communication with the Asgard, who had agreed to take their ship into the enemy territory. The repairs had been successful, for the most part. Although, the shield technology was still not operating at one-hundred percent capacity.

It was an 'all or nothing' scenario. The Asgard would beam down Arthur's team, the weapon, and the ground strike force, while the other Furlings protected the ship in the upper atmosphere.

A week had passed since they had limped the ship to the nebula. Another five days had been spent awaiting the council's decision before they would arrive back on board the Asgard vessel. Arthur calculated that it would be over two weeks total before they made it back to the Ori's home planet.

Staring out the window, as the hyperdrive engaged, Arthur sent out a prayer to any god in existence that Merlin was still alive and hanging on.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Lyrics from Linkin Park's song New Divide, used solely for setting the tone of this chapter. I don't own them or Merlin.

_There was nothing in sight  
_ _But memories left abandoned  
_ _There was nowhere to hide  
_ _The ashes fell like snow*_

* * *

" _Merlin, you silly man. What are you doing?"_

" _Sleeping."_

" _If you were truly asleep, you wouldn't have answered me." He could almost hear Mithian rolling her eyes at him in exasperation._

" _Maybe...I like to talk in my sleep."_

" _Well, then, I think it's time you woke up. You can't spend your days drowning away in the comfort of a warm bed."_

" _Come closer and we can drown together."_

" _I'm too far away for that now, my love. But, there are others who would gladly join you, or lend a hand to save you from the despair."_

" _I can't reach them...Not anymore. I fear that I burned those bridges long ago."_

" _They are still with you, and one is closer than you think..."_

* * *

_And your voice was all I heard  
_ _That I get what I deserve...*_

* * *

He blinked and stared down at the book on the table. Its words seemed to come alive on the page. He knew he'd read them before, but this time they held a deeper meaning...one that filled the void he'd been experiencing for so long. Although, he couldn't quite remember where the emptiness had come from to start with.

A niggling in the back of his subconscious told him that his life was wrong. He pushed the feeling away without a thought, and turned back to the leatherbound doctrine before him. Peace overcame him.

The power of the Ori enveloped him like a blanket and drowned out the screaming voices of his past life.

There was one voice, stronger than the others. He felt as if he was really hearing it, and not as an echo of who he had been. After many hours of sitting at the table, poring over the Book of Origin, the screams had not ceased. They hadn't left him as the other voices had.

Standing, he picked up his staff and a smaller version of the book he had been reading. He was determined to find who the voice belonged to and offer them the path that had been gifted to him.

As he opened the door, he was pleasantly surprised to see the Orici coming toward him.

She was the embodiment of all that he now believed; created as the bridge between the greatness of the Ori and the humans who worshiped them.

"Hallowed are the Ori." He said with a bow, and waited for her to pass.

"Hallowed are the Ori." The Orici said, returning the greeting. She smiled at him and took his elbow. "Walk with me."

Her touch silenced the torment he felt coming from the voice within him, and he happily allowed her to lead him away from his initial path.

"I will be leaving soon. I must lead the Followers of the Ori and guide the non-believers into the Light of Origin."

He felt his heart sink. "I wish to go with you, Orici. There are many..."

"No!" She said sharply, and then smiled at him, trying to take away the sting her voice had left. Adria feared that taking Merlin back to the Milky Way would result in the same problem she had experienced with Daniel, but leaving him in the Holy City was also a risk. His friends were still on the loose and she could sense his connection to the dragon. The closer he remained to the center of the Ori's power, however, the more control she had over his thoughts and impulses.

"You are needed here. You're still weak, from before you accepted Origin. The Ori are healing you, but it will take time." She stroked her hand along his forearm seductively. "When you are stronger, you will be granted knowledge beyond your wildest dreams. The Ori have decided that you shall stand at my side to help guide all the people of the universe to Origin."

Merlin smiled. He liked the idea of helping others to see the light. A part of him worried about the Doci, who had stood as the bridge between the Ori and the mortals for generations.

As if his thoughts had manifested, the Doci came around a corner. He differed from the other Priors, to signify his higher standing among the order. The robe was as pale as his skin and hair, with a high collar that wrapped tightly around his neck and up to his chin. On the chest, a large metallic decoration dipped down in an inverted triangle with a stone in the center - similar in color to the crystallized, embryonic dragons in the staves many of the others carried.

The metal decoration rose to the base of his throat, where it split apart and flattened. It continued up along his collar bones and past the top of his shoulders into the air, to frame his head in an open-ended oval. Merlin could see that it was the symbol of the Ori and embossed with runes of Origin.

The Doci's eyes glanced over Merlin, before turning to the Orici. "All is ready for your departure."

Adria kissed Merlin on the cheek. She left him standing in the long hallway and joined the Doci.

He watched her walk away, and despite his desire to return to his chambers, he found himself curious. He felt the strong need to leave this place and accompany her to the other galaxy. The weakness she had alluded to, didn't seem like a good enough reason. He was strong in his conviction to the Ori.

After a few moments, he followed the path Adria and the Doci had taken. He stopped outside of the door to a room that could have been a dining hall, or a conference room at one time. Inside was a long, ornate table; fruit that never seemed to spoil sat in a decorative bowl in the center.

From the crack in the open door, he could hear an argument taking place in the room, between the Orici and the Doci.

"You shouldn't have given him the knowledge of a Prior. That is reserved for the most devout of followers."

Adria scoffed. Her heeled shoes clacked against the floor while she paced. "You attempted it with Daniel Jackson...and failed."

"And then you succeeded, but he still managed to break free from your control, Orici." The Doci could barely be seen through the gap with his back toward the door. The Doci's voice was thick with contempt.

"That won't happen this time. This 'Merlin' doesn't have the real Merlin's subconscious shielding him from our power. I know everything that goes through his mind."

"What of the drakkon? What of his companions? I have word that they have met with the Resistance and are attempting to gain favor among them."

"It won't matter soon. We just need to keep him away from beast as long as possible. It is weakening and soon the creature will bow to our will."

The clicks from her shoes paused, "He said some very interesting things, before he was subdued. He called me Morgana, and implied that I should have some sort of connection to the drakkon that was captured before my birth. He is a mystery, even to the Ori."

"Or perhaps, it is knowledge they do not wish to bestow upon you."

Standing outside the door, Merlin squinted his milky-colored eyes. The name the Orici had spoken made him feel something he couldn't describe. The Ori had taken away all that had held him to the mortal world. They had filled his soul and burned away feelings of love and hate. The Orici was the Ori's way to transcend into human form, and he had assumed that was the reason for the peace he felt. She had been gifted with all the knowledge of the Ori, yet she didn't know the reason for the creature, or for him.

However, there was still something of himself flickering deep inside. It caused him a pain that was only abated in the presence of the Orici.

Morgana...

He felt as if he should know that name. In his dreams and meditation, her face plagued him and the voice of the beast still called to him.

Quickly, he moved away from the door and headed back toward his room. His previous quest to visit the creature came back into the forefront of his mind, but he knew he would have to wait until the Orici was gone.

* * *

Aithusa stared blankly ahead into the wall of flames.

The thoughts and demands from the otherworldly beings were but a constant din. For centuries, she had slept in ice-filled caves, keeping the body of her one true friend safe from the ravages of time. The silence in the ice had been both comfort and torture.

Her soul had been a part of a battle before she had even been hatched. The first time she had heard his voice, she had rejoiced.

The second time, she had found him in a forest and he had smiled upon her. Even at such a young age, she could feel the bond between them. It should have grown and been strengthened by his care, but when other men had come, he'd sent her away.

Time and again, until she had found Morgana. The little white dragon hadn't thought beyond her instinctive desire to save the woman. A part of her was kindred, though the woman did not possess the the actual bond that would have allowed Aithusa to grow and thrive. She had been kind to Aithusa, and had loved her more than the Dragon Lord who had hatched her.

For two years, they had clung to each other...comforted each other...in the dark pit of The Sarrum. Aithusa had used her power to feed her energy into her mistress; energy she would have normally shared with her Dragon Lord. She had starved, not only from malnutrition, but also because the bond she shared was incomplete.

Morgana had given her love and comfort. The Priestess could not reciprocate the need that Aithusa had for the magical energy, even though she had tried. The pit and the chains, as well as her desire to keep Morgana safe, had kept the dragon from answering her Dragon Lord's call.

When they had finally broken free, she no longer heard his voice calling to her, and she hadn't the strength to call out to him. Her fear that he would turn her away had been strengthened with the stories Morgana told her of Camelot.

It seemed her mistress had been telling the truth.

At the mines under the castle of Ismere, Merlin had turned her away once again. Then, outside of the Cauldron of Arianrhod and again at Camlann.

Days after the battle, Aithusa had gone in search of the only one who had never turned her away. She had found Morgana's body just a few leagues from the lake, and she had sensed Kilgharrah's presence close by. The young dragon hadn't understood why her elder and her Dragon Lord had been a part of killing Morgana.

When she had finally tracked Merlin down on the shores of Avalon, he hadn't seemed to want anything to do with her. Neither could see the pain the other was feeling at that moment, and Aithusa was too young to understand that it had nothing to do with her.

Once again, Aithusa had been lost and alone, blaming herself, as she felt Kilgharrah die miles away.

She had slowly made her way back to Morgana's body, and curled up next to her mistress.

The young dragon had been awoken a short time later, when a blue faerie lit on her back. He'd spoken of how there was a place among the stars where Morgana might be revived. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to tell her how to get there, but he did offer her the suggestion of ice.

Far to the north, laid fields of snow as far as the eye could see. They never thawed with the coming spring, and the permanently frozen wasteland would preserve the body of Aithusa's mistress until such time when a path through the stars could be found.

It had taken all of the young dragon's strength to carry Morgana to the land of eternal ice.

Years passed, then decades. She had found a vast cavern deep in the frozen hills where she could keep Morgana safe.

Occasionally, Aithusa would leave her mistress in search of food. To the south, caribou and elk roamed in vast herds. For awhile, she had kept herself fed off of the creatures. Until one day, when she finally heard the voice of the man who had called her from the egg.

Her words to him had been as sharp as the crystals of ice that clung to Morgana's frozen body. Although he had attempted to make amends, Aithusa's own heart had turned cold against him.

Again and again, throughout the centuries he would call to her. As time passed, his summons were few and far between. Each time, he would ask about prophecies and the king he had lost on the day her mistress had died.

The world of man grew up around her. Soon, the herds had begun to dwindle and men who saw her fled in terror, only to return with more of their kind. Their weapons couldn't begin to hurt her, but she had feared what might happen if they found her mistress' body in the cave.

There were times when she would find herself on the shores of the lake, searching for answers.

Finally, the day came that the path to the stars had been opened. She had grown in size and strength. Carrying Morgana's body through the stars was no longer the burden it had been when she was young.

It took weeks of travelling, before she had finally found the pale man in the gray robes who knew what she was, and wasn't afraid of her.

Little did she realize that she would be subjected to more pain than she had ever endured before, even in those early years after her hatching. She longed for salvation.

They had taken Morgana's body away from her and imprisoned her. The woman Morgana had transformed into, hadn't recognized her on the few occasions when she had visited.

To this new woman, Aithusa was simply 'the beast' or 'the creature.'

Aithusa cried in pain and anger. Her soul begged for release and freedom, even if it meant death.

Then, suddenly, his mind had touched hers. She had been completely unprepared and had assaulted him with wave after wave of the anguish that clouded her mind. For the first time, however, she had felt something other than despair from hearing his call.

Months passed, and then his voice was gone; drowned out by the flames that surrounded her. She had spent so much time in the cold that their heat was a type of torture she had never experienced. The Ori used the bond she had given to Morgana to eat at her soul.

The day came when she felt him again... _her_  Dragon Lord. Although she tried to tell him to flee, she felt him coming closer instead; searching for her.

This time there had been no motive beyond finding her. He hadn't wished for anything more. He had come to save her.

Just as quickly as he had appeared, his link to her had vanished, leaving the void inside of her more raw than it had ever been before. He was close...so close...and yet so far away.

Aithusa's eyes were the only part she could move, as the rest of her body was chained to the floor with a magical field.

Shifting her vision to the side, she saw him.

He stared at her with eyes that were clouded by the Ori's power. His skin was pale and marred with symbolic scars.

For the longest moment they simply stared at each other, and then he turned and walked away.

_So give me reason  
_ _To prove me wrong  
_ _To wash this memory clean  
_ _Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes  
_ _Across this new divide*_


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'ed by Nance. Read, and re-read for flow issues by IcarusLSU and Matthew1972  
> Just like Merlin, the song lyrics used are not mine.

_I heard from god today, and she sounded just like me.  
_ _What have I done, and who have I become.  
_ _I saw the devil today, and he looked a lot like me.  
_ _I looked away, I turned away!_

_~Five Finger Death Punch, Wrong Side of Heaven_

* * *

Merlin stood outside the door, his breath coming in harsh gasps. Since the Orici had left, his dreams had become stronger. It had been as if she had acted as a buffer of sorts for the voice of the beast.

In his dreams he had seen it. He couldn't believe the size of the white beast. The way it stared at him...its large, unblinking eyes burned into his very core. They were as familiar as if he had looked into a mirror. The pain and desperation were tainted by an odd feeling of resignation. He knew he had to see her, face-to-face.

The corridors to the creature's cell were narrow and dark. The light that shone with a bright amber hue elsewhere in the city had turned to a muted grayish-blue in the lower levels of the building.

The center of the large palatial building was an open pit where the bright flames of the Ori gathered. It was the holiest of places for all who believed in Origin, and he felt honored to have viewed it firsthand. He couldn't understand why anyone would turn away from the peace it brought to their soul.

Except...when he was away from it, he could feel the fingers of doubt creeping in. That was why he felt it so imperative to see the creature.

A recent fluster of disappointment had welled up inside of him, though he couldn't guess the source. It had taken his breath away with the wave of emotional pain that had accompanied it. Shaking his head to rid himself of the feeling, he suddenly sensed others coming down the corridor and stood up straight. He held his breath as they acknowledged him with a nod and words of greeting before passing on their way.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he watched them go and failed to notice the Doci coming up behind him.

"I feel the conflict still residing within you."

Doing his best to keep his mind quiet, Merlin turned to the Doci. For a split second, Merlin thought he was looking into a mirror, but the vision was gone as quickly as it had come, and left him feeling as if he had imagined it.

The moment Adria had gone back to the Milky Way, the Doci had watched Merlin keenly...waiting for him to make a mistake. He'd used his power to change his form and appear to Aithusa in that guise.

It might have been the final straw needed to break the dragon, except that Merlin had been making his way to her at the time. When Merlin had finally gathered the courage to seek out the dragon, the Doci assumed he had found his opening.

"There is no conflict. The will of the Ori is all that I feel. My life is but to serve them in all their glory." Merlin proclaimed, almost feeling as if he fully believed it.

"For Litra said to Foylo: You are more than a son of your father. You are son of the earth, the sea, the sky. The power of the Ori is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that power." The Doci's face remained expressionless. "Our path is to walk in unison with the Ori, not merely to serve them."

There was a familiarity in the words the Doci spoke that went beyond anything Merlin had read. He could hear another voice in his ears speaking them with a much different meaning. It conveyed a feeling of love and hope that the Ori had not been able to give him.

"You were not going to the beast, were you?"

Merlin knew he could not lie to the other man, but centuries of twisting his own words was a skill that had not left him when the Ori had freed his soul. "It was merely a curiosity to see the creature. I feel her power connected to the Ori, though she is still unwilling to bow to their will."

"She?" He scoffed, "The creature has no gender. Its mind is that of a simple animal. In fact, I was just in there, viewing it. Sickly, ugly thing that it is. If it would give up its obstinancy, the Ori could help it. Heal it. Prove to those that resist that the Path of Origin is the way to enlightenment."

"Perhaps I could get through to the beast? 'Hannor Mir fell from above and learned to fly on the way down.' A push off the edge, may be all that she requires to believe in the power."

The Doci appeared to pause and consider the idea. "How would you consider facilitating this 'push'? Without the Orici to guide you, you are still too weak for such an undertaking."

"I believe I have a connection to her that can be of great value."

"'She' again? I believe this 'connection' you claim has clouded your judgement and led you astray. Take him!"

Armored hands clamped down on Merlin's shoulders, and his staff was pulled from his hands. In his focus to keep the Doci from entering his mind, he had failed to sense the guards who had passed earlier, coming up behind him.

He was sent to his knees as a shocking blast from one of their weapons hit him.

The Doci sneered and held Merlin's face up. The rancid breath of a man who was supposed to have died centuries ago was hot against Merlin's ear. "Perhaps, the truth is that you are the one who needs to learn to fly."

Forced to walk or be dragged, the Doci compelled Merlin's body against his will. He still couldn't grasp why a part of his own subconscious would resist. He desperately wanted to follow the path of Origin. It had given him the solace he'd longed for; filled the darkness inside of him.

When he gazed upon the creature and had seen her looking back, he knew that whatever the Ori had done to him had only been on the surface...like a bandage over a gaping wound, that had been held in place with his feelings for the Orici.

There was a connection he felt, every time the Orici was near. Now that she had left, gone back to the Milky Way to try and convert her mother again, the wound had begun to seep.

 _Morgana_...The name she had spoken still played on the edges of his mind. Each time he thought of it, he also felt the beast's voice call to him, as if she was trying to tell him something. But, her voice was muddled and weak.

In his dreams, he could recall things from his previous life, but there were so many forgotten images; too many faces of people who were long gone that they could only have been a dream. Women, all beautiful with dark hair and dark eyes, smiled at him through various times.

One stood out among the rest, stronger and more accepting than any of the others. She was not the one who spoke to him in his dreams, but she was always there. Her dark skin and bright smile soothed him...accepted him. Even when he felt she was lost to him or he had pushed her away, she was there to comfort him and welcome him back into her arms...a gentle love filled with sassy quips and an intelligence that glistened in her eyes.

Sharp pain raced along his spine and hit every nerve in his body. His skull tingled and his muscles began to spasm. Over the roar of his own heart, he could hear the Doci quoting from the Book of Origin.

Out of the cacophany, a voice broke through. His eyes opened, and he saw her blue eyes as a mirror to his own soul.

Had the Doci been patient, and waited longer before dragging Merlin into her prison, the idea that her Dragon Lord had abandoned her once again might have had a chance to settle in. However, in bringing Merlin into the prison immediately after his own visit disguised as the Furling, he failed to realize that the creatures astute sense of smell would give him away.

Her eyes had shifted between the two men and immediately focused on the man who was her true Dragon Lord. " _Take my pain and give me yours."_ She whispered into his mind.

Merlin tried to shake his head, as the Doci hit him again with the focused power. Screaming out in agony, he tried to resist. Merlin refused to burden the dragon with more, nor did he feel strong enough to take what she was offering.

The harder he fought against it, the more it appealed to his subconscious and the less resistance he felt.

The dragon roared, straining against the force field that held her. Merlin could hear the soldiers scrambling and a white mist settled over him.

He instantly felt cleaner, and more clear-headed. Strength began to return to his body, and he allowed himself to open to the dragon.

The Doci was yelling orders to his followers, and an electric charge hit Merlin full on. He felt the pain rush through him, but it was lessened by the connection he now had with the dragon. The edges of his vision began to darken, when another bolt arched through him.

Blackness overtook him and he felt himself begin to fall.

* * *

Arthur couldn't help his curiosity. There hadn't been much for him to do on the spaceship, except to wait...and think. Either of which were dangerous prospects, or so Merlin would have reminded him. He felt his heart clench, knowing his best friend was still in the hands of the enemy.

After what seemed like hours of watching Leon and the Asgard work with Sebryn's people on the failed weapon, he finally gave voice to his musing. "How did you get the weapon?"

Sebryn looked up from what she was doing, and rolled her eyes when she noticed Gwaine hovering a bit too close for comfort.

Since Percival had declared...somewhat reluctantly...that he'd like to meet the nurse, Cassandra, from the SGC again, Gwaine had decided the Furling princess was fair game.

To Arthur and the others' surprise, she seemed to tolerate his advances.

The former Marine finally admitted to his friends that the situation with Carolyn wasn't something he saw moving ahead, mostly due to his own reticence when it came to his own feelings.

" _The sex is amazing," he'd said, causing Arthur's lips to pucker and Percival to flush, while Leon had laughed outright. "...But, something just isn't there."_

It didn't appear that Gwaine was experiencing the same issues with Sebryn. Her initial infatuation with Percival had begun to grow into a solid friendship, which hadn't surprised any of the men from Earth. The way she had slowly started opening herself to Gwaine's flirtation caused more than a few raised eyebrows.

She elbowed him out of the way playfully, causing him to grunt.

"Well," she explained, "the ship came through and it activated. Some of my people were on patrol in that sector, and needless to say, they were a bit shocked when the Ori Mothership came through the Supergate with no one on it. We don't dare bring the whole thing back to the Nebula, as we have no way to absolutely determine if it's being tracked. So, they scavenged what they could from it. This weapon was clearly not of Ori design, so they made sure to nab it first."

She shrugged and went back to work.

Arthur was amazed. It wasn't often when a princess would be fighting in the front lines, or repairing equipment. It was just another reminder of how far from home he truly was. He enjoyed the company of his knights, but he missed his best friend.

Everything felt empty. It was all just a hollow representation of life, without Merlin at his side. He stared out the same window that had become his constant companion and watched as the smear of stars began to slow.

"Okay, people. Get ready!" Sebryn called out to her team.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur was relieved to finally pull himself away from the view. He could just make out the edge of a planet from the corner of the window. It seemed they had arrived. Automatically, his hand reached for his sword. His fist clenched over empty air.

Leon had been irate when he had noticed Arthur no longer had the weapon. It was almost comical; a complete departure from the mild-mannered knight the man had once been.

Gwaine came up to Arthur with a rifle, and had snorted softly at the look on the former king's face. "While we look for Merlin, I think Leon is going to tear that city apart for the sword. You're going to be lucky to get it back, when he does find it, without some sort of lecture about keeping it safe."

Grinning, Arthur glanced over to the tall, blond knight. "I think you're right. But, if I find it first...and who said we're going to be looking for Merlin?"

"Because I know you." Shifting his eyes, Gwaine made sure they weren't being overheard. "We're going to touch down and let Sebryn's people deal with the weapon, while we go hunting. Right?"

"Those weren't Gilgamesh's orders." Even now, Arthur was afraid to think outside of the proposed plan. He glanced at the closest Furlings, worried that they would pick up on his thoughts. A sigh of relief escaped him, when he none of them seemed to notice.

Gwaine smiled and rechecked his weapon. "My point exactly. The others are ready to create a diversion for us. We'll find him, Arthur. We have to."

He allowed himself a hint of a smirk, accompanied by minuscule nods to both of his other knights.

Outside the ship, dragons circled in the vacuum of space, ready to help protect the Asgard ship from any Ori attacks. According to Sebryn this was going to be one of the largest assaults they had made in centuries against the Ori, and the first one in the Dragon Lord's memory that would be done directly against their Holy City.

It didn't take a genius to see that everything could go very wrong, very fast, but Arthur held strong to his belief that they would prevail.

* * *

The city wasn't nearly as silent as it had been the first time the knights had ventured through it, and it caught the strike force by surprise.

The Asgard vessel had beamed them to the surface outside of the golden palace from where they had been rescued. Within it, they knew was the center of the Ori's power. Sebryn had told them that rumors stated it was an abysmal pit of eternal flames. Although, no one she knew had ever actually seen it.

As soon as the transport beam dissipated, they had to quickly duck for cover behind a building. Percival hefted the large discus-shaped, platform base of the weapon by himself, while the Furlings gawped at his strength. They rushed to grab the remaining pieces and hastily moved into hiding.

Not only soldiers, but common people of the city all appeared to be moving in the same direction. Some were enthusiastic and others fearful, but they seemed to share a common excitement similar to what Arthur had witnessed during his father's reign. He bit back the bile in his throat and he feared whatever spectacle it was that they were going to see.

His fears only grew when he overheard  _Furling_  and  _Merlin_  whispered among the people. He only had to glance at his men to know they had caught it, as well. It was time they split up.

"Sebryn..." Gwaine began in a whisper.

She held up her hand to cut him off. "I get it. Go save your friend."

He smiled and kissed her cheek, causing her to blush. Some of her companions had to stifle their snickers and she silenced them with a single glance.

Patting Arthur's shoulder, he nodded to his king before they pulled up the hoods of their cloaks and attempted to blend in with the passing crowds.

On the other side of the building spread a large courtyard, filled with people. In the center of it all, stones had been built into a large circle. Another ring was built inside of it, and a central pit stood vacant, save for a block of stone with chains attached.

The inner ring was incomplete, and the outer one connected to a long trough that stretched across the courtyard to a pedestal on the other side. It looked like some sort of ladle, waiting for a giant to come along and serve up a stew.

Gwaine felt his appetite disappear as he thought about it. He recalled Jackson and Vala's debriefing about the purpose of the rings and his heart sunk.

"What do you suppose that is used for?" Arthur asked in a hushed voice. "I doubt it's for watering their horses."

Gwaine pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away. He didn't know how to begin to describe the stuff he'd heard about. The fact that he knew Merlin's name was associated to this style of torture set his blood boiling.

So far, those present were only the guards and the people who had gathered to watch the show, but they didn't have to wait long for it to begin.

A Prior came out first, decorated with his large metal collar. If Gwaine had been in a joking mood, he might have mentioned how it looked like a tuning fork he'd love to shove up the Prior's ass.

Behind the man came a circle of guards. They split apart as they neared, and in the center they held a man's limp body.

* * *

Deep-seated fear clenched in his chest. Names of the unknown resounded inside him. Each called out to a gathered crowd, denouncing the accused for witchcraft or heresy. Merlin had once counted himself lucky to have been born after the height of Uther's Purge, but as the years passed, he had witnessed the same suspicions taking even more lives time and again. He flinched each time a pyre was built and another soul burned to ash.

He had been personally subjected to the tortures of the Inquisition, becoming one of the named - although he had not met his end from the flames. Merlin had tucked himself away from the world near the end of the witch trials; no longer able to save even the most innocent from feeling the heat of the flames lapping against their skin.

It appeared as if his luck had finally run out.

Although, it wasn't for his sorcery.

A large stone circle took up most of the courtyard. Trenches created gaps between the rings. He had been stripped to his trousers and chained with his arms behind his back to a cold stone block.

They ached from their stagnate posture and from the wounds across his body, inflicted by the Doci in order to 'drive the doubt' from him. Merlin had refused to yield. He knew that no matter what he might say, the Doci was determined to be rid of him.

It had become evident that the Doci was set on a course against the Orici whom he was supposed to follow; believing her to be too soft-hearted and usurping his place as the most loyal of the Ori's followers.

After he had forced the remnants of her soul to the forefront, the Ori had made certain to burn any lasting memory from her. They had somehow severed the weak bond Morgana once shared with the dragon.

She had once been kind, and was disgusted by the idea of people being destroyed for things beyond their control. Now, she was worse than Uther had ever been. Adria's beliefs were based in her worship of the Ascended beings, not in a need to right a wrong or exact revenge for a lost love.

Merlin could feel Aithusa, still trapped in her dungeon, and there was no longer the gaping chasm between them. Her breath had set him free and he finally had realized what fools they had both been.

Morgana's attempts to return Aithusa's gift had twisted and maimed the dragon more than it had helped; consequently rippling the effects into Merlin. It wasn't until the Ori had Morgana's body in their clutches that the final link between them had become tainted.

Being in Aithusa's presence again had healed them both, though Merlin's body still bore the marks left by the Ori.

It seemed that the Doci had taken matters into his own hands. The leader of the Priors was up to something, although Merlin had yet to figure out what.

Days of torture had not broken him, as the Doci tried to break them both. The link they had formed was unbreakable. Merlin shared in her sorrows, and she shared in his pain with one common goal. They would survive this, and figure out what would happen next later...or they would die together.

Thoughts of his wife and friends played through his mind. He hoped they were safe. He'd made sure to activate the Rings and send the men away, but he worried about Martha and the others back on Earth.

She would survive, he knew. One of the things he admired most in his wife was her ability to carry on. The world had crumbled around her during her time with the Doctor, and she had prevailed.

He came back from his mental ramble in time to see the Doci raise his staff. The long trough that ran out from the circles was suddenly aflame. He could sense Aithusa tense, as she watched through Merlin's eyes.

The fires ignited the circles. First the outer one, then the inner. They crept toward him and he began to feel their heat.

The chains bound him from calling forth his magic, and his mind was still too unfocused to concentrate on anything more. He blamed himself for all that had happened, and guilt for failing Aithusa clouded his mind.

The irony was not lost on him. He'd finally found his common bond with Aithusa, only to perish because of it.

* * *

His skin was pale, and marred with symbolic scars on a slender frame. A dark head of hair hung down, as if the man was already dead. A pair of guards began to drag the body forward, and his head rose slightly, indicating at least a bit of life left.

Arthur choked on a gasp as he recognized his best friend. He automatically reached for his sword, and his hand came up empty.

Gwaine grasped his arm and shook his head. For the moment, there was nothing they could do. They were outnumbered and outgunned, surrounded by dozens of guards and at least twice as many devout followers of the Ori.

"When Vala was put in that crucible, they left her out there for days before the fireworks began. They gave her a chance to 'see the light,' so to speak. We're gonna have to wait and hope for a better opening."

"Fireworks?" Arthur asked, not understanding the implications.

Merlin was dragged into the center and forced into an upright position on his knees. His arms were attached to the chains in the center, and he was left there as the Prior began his rhetoric from the Book of Origin.

Despite Gwaine's assurance that they would have a better chance to save their friend, he soon realized that this situation was much different. Merlin wasn't going to be given a chance to repent as Vala had.

The Prior stepped forward with an evil gleam in his milky eyes. "This man has forsaken the gift the Ori bestowed upon him. He has chosen to align himself with a creature of the Resistance. For that, there can only be the cleansing fires."

As if by magic, the end of the arm that extended from the circle lit up.

Arthur watched in wide-eyed horror as the flames crawled down to the outer circle and spread throughout the ring.

Suddenly, he was a young boy standing next to his father on the balcony overlooking the courtyard. Below him, a young family was tied to a stake - proclaimed to be sorcerers - and the pyre beneath them was set ablaze.

He'd never felt more impotent since he had at that moment...until now.


	21. Chapter 21

The street began to clear after Arthur and Gwaine had moved off. As soon as they had a chance, the Furlings, along with Leon and Percival, left their hiding spot. They found their way to the building with the bridge that would connect them to the tower at the center of the city.

Moving through the corridors, they were hypervigilant of any whisper of sound indicating the presence of other people. It seemed, however, that everyone in the city was down in the streets where they had left Arthur and Gwaine. Even so, they were amazed to find place virtually empty.

"Either this is a trap, or they really don't expect anyone to attack them with the party downtown." Leon commented softly. His finger flexed beside the trigger of his blaster. Centuries of avoiding this type of situation had him twitching at every imagined sound.

They found the room where the base for the Ring device was located, and even there they met very little resistance. Two guards stood stoically by the doors and were taken out with near-silent efficiency.

The room took up only a small portion of the entire floor of the ornate building. One of the Furlings sat down at an interface console. It didn't take long for the man, experienced with Ori technology, to bring up schematics of the building. They found their path, and headed out through the maze of corridors toward their destination.

If their luck held out, they would soon be rid of the Ori for good. Both galaxies would breathe easier, knowing a great evil had been defeated.

"This should be it." One of the Furlings said. He pointed to a large set of ornate, double-doors at the end of the hallway.

Two more guards stood outside, though they seemed more like decorations than actual soldiers. Leon was becoming more nervous about the entire situation.

A couple of well-timed shots and they were taken down. The heavy doors opened easily and Leon was struck by the vastly empty room inside. One wall held a large decorative symbol of Origin, and opposite was a fancy fence. He mused how it would have appeared more at home in a garden setting than a room of worship.

Scrolled gates set in the center blocked them from the raging pit of fire beyond.

The others set up the weapon, careful to reassemble it properly. The only piece that remained was the Sangraal Crystal. Sebryn drew it out of her pocket and prepared to place it in the weapon.

They had no idea exactly what would happen once it was activated, but they all had to trust that it would work.

Leon moved cautiously to the gates. As he prepared to open them, a glimmer of silver caught his eye.

Just inside, balancing precariously on the edge was a sword...Arthur's sword. He'd carried the damned weapon for centuries and recognized it almost instantly. Cursing under his breath, he was also grateful that he wouldn't have to tear apart the entire planet to search for it once they were done.

Sebryn gave the signal, and he opened the gates.

A blast of heat threw him backwards off his feet. The roar of the flames drowned out any of the voices he thought he'd heard in the background. His eyes focused on one thing.

The sword.

It began to teeter on the ledge, from the same shockwave that had knocked him back. He made a mad dive for the discarded weapon, unaware of the fight that had begun behind him.

It was a trap.

Ori soldiers spilled into the room through the doors and from a Ring device. Shots rang out over his head, ricocheting off the walls. His hand touched the hilt and he closed his fingers around it.

Turning over, he pushed himself up, only to feel himself shoved backward toward the abyss as blasts from the energy weapons flew around him. He brought up the sword automatically to deflect the hit. His fingers tingled as the pulse sent a wave of electricity into his hand and up through his arm.

It stung him with a powerful current and he nearly lost his grip. Barely able to hang on, he was mesmerized by the way the runes along the blade glowed while holding the charge for a brief second, before it dissipated and he felt his energy returned to him.

So little impressed Leon, or captured his attention so completely in recent centuries, that he paused to marvel at the sword he had carried for so long. He had always protected it and kept it sheathed for fear of even the slightest blemish. If the timing had been more appropriate, he might have even laughed out loud at his own misconceptions.

The sword was never something that should have been hidden away and coddled like an infant. It was a weapon meant to be wielded.

Suddenly, time stopped. A heartbeat passed, and then another as he glanced down.

The smell of burning flesh and the rise of smoke assailed his nostrils. A hole in his clothing was singed from a single, well-placed shot. He felt his footing begin to fail him. He'd recover from the blast. He knew that instinctively. Although, the smouldering burn on his chest hurt.

For centuries, he'd been at war with himself over his duty of keeping the sword safe; figuring out how to survive and on rare occasions, finding out how he just couldn't die.

Captured and tortured. Blasted into space. Left to rot in dungeons. Impaled, drowned, maimed by wild animals...and even shot a few times. Through it all, he had lived. He now knew the real reason for it was connected to the Cup of Life and how it had altered his DNA, but it didn't make the pain that radiated through his chest any less.

Heimdall had explained the exact method the Cup used. It had enhanced his own genetic structure and the ability for cells to regenerate at an alarming speed. It provided a kick-start when his body was near failure, and kept him as youthful and healthy as the day the druids had saved him. But, Heimdall had warned him that there might be certain circumstances in which it might not work fast enough. Although she refused to elaborate, only saying that she hadn't had time to work out what those circumstances would be.

The burning agony was something he could brush off. He'd have to throw away the shirt, and maybe even his favorite coat, but clothing was something he didn't have that much of an attachment to.

What worried him at the moment was the chasm of fire that loomed up behind him. He might have been close to immortal, but he'd never fallen into a pit of flames created by Ascended beings.

His eyes met Percival's and time seemed to speed back up. He felt his knees beginning to buckle as another shot slammed into his side.

His eyes held his friend's across the room. With a final glance at the sword in his hand, he knew what he had to do.

It took all of his strength, but he managed to throw the sword before his body gave out and he tumbled over the edge.

Percival managed to catch the blade by the hilt. His heart clenched when he looked back and didn't see Leon - only the open gate and the fiery abyss beyond.

Closing off his emotions, he refused to allow himself to worry about Leon's fate. Battle still surrounded him and there was nothing he could do to help his friend.

Percival looked down at the sword in his hand. There was only one way he could think of to honor Leon's sacrifice. He had to get it to Arthur.

He ignored the panicked cries of Sebryn and her people as he forced his way past the Ori soldiers. Bolts from the energy weapons narrowly missed him as he ran.

Sebryn was on her radio the moment she saw him flee. They were so close to completion, but the incoming assault had her still holding the crystal, while trying to take cover in a room containing nothing but a growing number of bodies.

The whole plan had been flawed from the start, and she had known it. She had argued with her father about it, but he had refused to allow a full assault on the planet. Thankfully, she hadn't been the only one to realize it was going to take more than a simple infiltration to deploy the weapon and defeat the Ori. Others among the council had agreed and had gone behind Gilgamesh's back to secure the added support Sebryn would require.

The tech who had hacked into the Ori systems to find the map gave her a thumbs up. He'd managed to override the shields protecting the tower and Sebyrn called to the Asgard ship on her radio.

They needed backup, and they needed it yesterday. More Furling fighters were beamed directly into the room. They began pushing back the soldiers and securing their foothold to finish the job.

* * *

"Fracking hell! I thought we would have time..." Gwaine cursed, but his words were nearly drowned out by the roar of the crowd.

This wasn't Camelot. Merlin was not some random person accused of sorcery. Uther had been dead for centuries. Arthur's mind finally broke out of its reflection. "We have to save him."

"We need a distraction, so we can take out that Prior. What I wouldn't give for one of the Anti-Prior devices right now from the SGC."

Arthur silently agreed. His eyes scanned the area and began to formulate a plan. "I'll go distract the Prior, while you get Merlin."

"I don't think so."

"Why ever not?"

"Because, you need to be the one to get Merlin. Besides, I'm a better shot." Gwaine winked and grinned. He darted off through the crowd before Arthur could argue.

* * *

Percival rushed through the halls and down into the streets. He wasn't sure he'd be able to find his way back, or how he had managed to find his way out. His mind was a blur and his eyes were clouded with tears he refused to shed.

 _Leon would be alright. He had to be,_  he thought to himself. Laney would kill each and every one of them, including her brother, if Leon didn't somehow return with them.

The central square was crowded, and finding two men trying to blend in was difficult at best. Scanning the throngs of people, his eyes inevitably reached the center spectacle.

Merlin was surrounded by flames and chained to a stone. Gulping, Percival forced his eyes to move on. He knew his friends had to be nearby. There was no way they would let Merlin suffer if they had a choice.

A flash of something...possibly a weapon under a cloak...but then it was gone.

Finally, he spotted Arthur snaking his way through the crowd toward the stone circle on the other side. The look on his face was determined. He saw his king glance to the side, and followed the blond man's gaze.

Gwaine was trying to sneak up on the Prior. The telltale shape of his rifle was barely discernible under the cloak. Percival didn't know what their plan was, but he began moving closer toward the center to assist Arthur and give the sword back.

Suddenly, out of the sky shot large winged shapes, just as the roar of engines from Ori fighter ships filled the air. The crowd erupted into chaos, as a battle began to take shape over their glorious city.

* * *

Gwaine had found a position nearby and started to pull out his rifle, when he spared a glance toward the sky as he heard a loud, distressed roar. He instinctively ducked, when he saw a dragon falling toward the crowded square.

The winged creature and its rider managed to divert their descent at the last moment. They slammed into the nearby tower, showering glass and metal in a deadly rain of debris, and taking at least one of the small ships with it.

Pulses of light from the ships lit up the sky along with flames from the dragons, as the battle commenced above him. Magic and technology clashed together in brilliant and deadly display.

He saw another of the one-manned fighters get hit by a wave of fire. It exploded in the air. Sparks and ash fell among the crowd.

The Doci watched it all happen around him with a stoic gaze.

When Gwaine turned back to the Prior, he saw the man's hazy eyes turned toward him. He hastily brought up his rifle, even though he knew the Prior would be able to deflect the bullets. Before he could squeeze off a shot, his lungs began to burn and his body was lifted off of the ground. He could feel the power of the Doci crushing the life out of him.

* * *

Arthur didn't question the confusion or the much needed distraction. His eyes were set on one thing.

Merlin.

His best friend was still chained to the center stone, surrounded by fire that crept closer with every passing second. He didn't think twice as he rushed the crucible, covering his face with his cloaked arm. "Merlin!" He cried out, as he braved the final hurdle of flames and threw the smouldering cloak aside.

He reached for the chains, but found no way to release them.

"Arthur?" Merlin panted with bleary eyes. "I found her, Arthur. I can't save her, but we'll die together against the Ori..."

"Shut up, you idiot. I need to get you out of these chains."

"Say 'goodbye' to Martha for me. Tell her I love her."

"You can tell her yourself." Percival's deep voice said calmly.

Arthur's brow pinched, as he looked up to see the large man, with his clothing and arm hair smoking. He was elated to see his friend by his side, but he noticed the sadness in the man's eyes. Glancing around for Leon and Gwaine, he saw the latter hanging in midair, suspended by magic. Leon was nowhere to be seen.

"Your sword." Percival held out the weapon and tilted his head toward the chains.

Grasping the hilt, he nodded, "Go help Gwaine."

* * *

Merlin's lungs burned from the smoke. He could feel the fire licking at his body, but he was at peace. Aithusa took away the pain from the flames surrounding him. The chains bound his magic in much the same way that the Ori shield kept her hostage. Their souls were linked now in a way they had never been before. He finally understood some of his father's memories kept on Moros' computer system.

The bond Balinor had shared with Kilgharrah, and the missed opportunities for Merlin to understand his own made him sad. At least in these final moments, he would have peace. They were the last of their kind and they would perish together. Finally whole.

He thought he caught a glimpse of Arthur through the smoke, but passed it off as a hallucination. Rambling and slurring, he gave his imagined version of Arthur a message.

His magic ached under his skin, confined by the chains that held him tight. A clang of steel resounded in his ears and his magic flared to life as he fell forward, suddenly released from the chains.

His arms quivered when he tried to push himself upright; the fire burning his chest and face. But, he felt like he could finally breathe.

Strong hands pulled him upright into a hug. "Come on, Merlin. We need to get you out of here."

He weakened arm was lifted over Arthur's shoulder, and he was jostled around as his friend looked for a way across the flames.

A strangled cry finally grabbed Merlin's attention. He lifted his gaze toward the Doci. Percival had been shot by a guard, and Gwaine dangled from unseen tendrils of power. He tried to lift his arm, even though his body was too weak to react.

" _Take my energy, Dragon Lord."_ He heard Aithusa call to his mind.

" _You are too weak..."_

" _Neither of us will survive if you do not."_

A warm wave seeped through him and his mind began to clear. He pushed away from Arthur, sweeping his hand over the flames and extinguishing them in its wake.

"Doci!" He cried out above the roar of the battle and the cowering masses. His hand shot out again, sending a blast of power toward the man.

The Leader of the Priors looked toward him in disdain. Even with Merlin now standing amidst the cold rings and dragons flying overhead, he didn't believe he could be defeated.

Merlin knew this was not the time for mercy. He gathered all of his remaining strength - much of which was borrowed from Aithusa - and thrust his arm outward.

The Doci brought up his arms instinctively to shield himself.

* * *

Sebryn fell to the floor as the tower shook.

For a moment, even the Ori soldiers seemed taken aback.

She smiled and nodded to herself. From the moment that Percival had run out of the room and Leon was nowhere to be seen, she had known they needed assistance.

"We're clear!" Someone yelled.

Sebryn wasted no time in running full speed toward the weapon. She stopped short and cried out in horror at what she saw.

During the fighting, the weapon had been left exposed. Everything had happened so quickly and the battle had been so completely chaotic that no one had given a second thought to it.

One of the crystalline arms that came up from the base to hold the Sangraal had been broken.

There was no place to set the crystal to activate the one thing that could defeat the Ori.


	22. Chapter 22

Gwaine felt his brains rattle in his skull as he was suddenly dropped to the ground. He grasped at his throat, which was finally free of the telekinetic grip of the Doci. Floundering for his rifle, he pushed through the dots that swam through his vision.

He brought up the gun and aimed it where the Prior had been, only to find the space empty.

A hand grabbed Gwaine's arm, and the former Marine came up swinging.

His punch was blocked by Percival's large hand covering his fist.

"Fracking hell, I thought you were in the tower!"

"Well, I knew I couldn't trust you to stay out of trouble on your own."

"Where're Arthur and Merlin?"

"Over there." Percival motioned to the center of the crucible.

Gwaine heaved a sigh, noticing the flames were no longer present.

"Merlin stood up and hit the Prior with his magic. The man disappeared."

"You mean Merlin destroyed him?" The shorter man asked hopefully.

Percival didn't respond. He'd been knocked off of his own feet from weapons fire by the Ori soldiers and hadn't had a clear view of what had transpired. Something in his gut told him the fancy-looking Prior hadn't been so easily defeated.

Gritting against his own discomfort, he pulled Gwaine's arm over his shoulders. "We've got to get out of here."

Dragons began landing in the courtyard, scattering what remained of the Ori followers by laying down their own rings of fire. The battle in the sky continued on, even while the Furlings cast shields over the four men from Earth.

"Where's Leon?" Arthur called out to Percival.

The large man shook his head. He couldn't yet bring himself to vocalize the sacrifice he had witnessed.

Arthur simply nodded his understanding. There would be time enough for details later. "We have to get Merlin out of here."

"No!" Merlin said, with all the strength he could muster.

He was prepared to argue or drag his best friend kicking and screaming, but the look on Merlin's face stopped him.

Merlin's eyes darted from one dragon to another; from the few that had landed around them to others in the sky above. The milky eyes didn't pause. His mouth hung open in awe. In total disbelief, he asked, "There  _are_  others?"

Arthur smiled. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around Merlin's bare shoulders. "Yes, there are. Many, many others. At least a whole planet full of them, and I can't wait for you to meet them."

The warlock nodded and licked his cracked lips. Tears began trailing down his face. "I have to get to Aithusa. She's still trapped. She needs to know we're not alone."

Gwaine pushed himself off of Percival. He wobbled, but managed to stay on his feet. "I'll go with you."

"No, Gwaine. You can barely stand," argued Arthur, even though he knew his knight would do whatever it took to help Merlin. They all would.

The sounds of screaming and battle began to move away, and the square was curiously cleared after the dragons had landed.

One of the Furlings slid off the back of his dragon and rushed toward them. "We need to get out of here, now!" He ordered them. "The weapon is broken and we need to fall back."

"What do you mean it's broken?" Gwaine asked sharply.

"One of the arms broke off during the fight. Sebryn says they have tried using whatever they can, but they don't have anything to hold the crystal in place and conduct the necessary power to activate it."

Various looks of defeat crossed their faces, but none was more deflated than Merlin's.

"We'll never get another chance like this. There must be something." Arthur yelled. He wasn't about to admit defeat when victory was just one faulty piece of equipment away. One look at Merlin told him that if they didn't find a way, he would lose his friend for good. "We'll go get Aithusa. It's the least we can do."

Percival's face was pinched in deep contemplation. His mind flashed back to the moments before Leon had disappeared. He had seen Leon dive for the sword, while the fires beyond the gate had roared. While he couldn't be certain, he was sure he had seen the sword glow as it was hit with the electricity from the weapons fire.

"There might be something else."

Turning to Arthur, the large man pointed at the sword. "I think we need to get that up to them. I saw it absorb the energy from a blast before..." He stopped, feeling a choking sensation in his throat. Exhaling loudly, Percival pushed his feelings aside again. "It's the only thing we have that might work."

Arthur looked sceptical, until Merlin croaked out his agreement. "It could work."

The former king didn't question his best friend, though he still didn't understand. He began to draw out the sword, when Merlin's hand on his arm stopped him. "You need to take it to them. Don't let it out of your sight. In the wrong hands, it could be more dangerous than you can imagine, especially if the Ori learn how powerful it is."

Arthur shook his head. He didn't want to leave Merlin's side, even if their idea would work. "I need to get you to Aithusa, and I couldn't find my way up there if I tried."

"I'll show you where it is." Percival offered.

"We'll accompany them to free the drakkon."

Arthur had almost forgotten about the Furling next to them. He shook his head at his own shortcoming. It proved Merlin's point about Arthur's inability to focus on more than one thing. Everything else was pushed to the background to be forgotten. He vowed to take Merlin up on his offer of training his mind as well as his body, once they returned home.

Giving the Furling a nod, he patted Merlin's shoulder and pointed at Gwaine. "If he doesn't come back,  _you_  don't come back. Do you hear me?"

Gwaine scoffed and flipped his still relatively short hair out of his eyes. The look on his face told his friends all they needed to know.

Percival smirked and clapped Arthur on the shoulder. They darted off toward the building entrance and the maze of corridors that the large man hoped he could navigate.

"Shall we?" Gwaine asked. He held out his hand to Merlin and smiled when his friend used it to pull himself up off the stones.

Teetering a bit, Gwaine felt a hand on his arm. He turned as the Furling man's eyes glowed and Gwaine felt a warmth creep into his body. Strength returned to his limbs as he recognized the sensation of the healing spell.

The Furlings of this galaxy didn't have quite the level of magic that Merlin had. Gwaine had questioned Sebryn about it, and all she could guess was that it had something to do with the differences in their evolutions.

It made him even more grateful for the spell that had been cast on him. He offered his thanks as they were joined by another man and began to follow Merlin on his quest.

"Here," Merlin directed, pointing down a long set of narrow stairs.

The lights began to change as they descended, becoming the bluish hue of the deeper levels under the city.

Guards stood at various points, or patrolled along the wide corridor. Every twenty feet or so were large, heavily fortified doors.

Many of the doors in the hallway led to various cells within a larger prison complex. Inside of each, there was a control panel and usually an additional guard or two, depending on the prisoners.

Merlin blearily remembered bits and pieces of his few ventures into the place. He informed the others about the shield he knew was being used to keep Aithusa immobile. The cell where the dragon was kept was at least halfway down the long corridor.

Gwaine brought up his gun and began to sight in on one of the guards. Merlin placed his palm over the rifle barrel.

"They're probably already on alert because of everything else that is going on. We don't need them all on us at once."

"What do you suggest, then?" He glanced over at his friend and was surprised to see some of the old twinkle returning.

The gray pallor had begun to fade, as had the blemishes on Merlin's skin.

Calling upon his magic, Merlin drew from some of his oldest tricks.

Gwaine nearly burst out laughing, as guards began leaving their posts to check out various disturbances.

One of the soldiers' trousers dropped as his belt broke. His companion turned his eyes away, pretending not to notice the awkward situation. Another pair heard an odd sound - like that of a mewing kitten, if Gwaine had to describe it - from inside the door they were guarding.

The final pair simply fell asleep at their post. Pulling the snoring bodies out of the way, the Furlings, along with Gwaine and Merlin, prepared to enter the cell where Aithusa was being kept.

Gwaine made a face, as he mentally calculated the dimensions of the door. "How the hell would they have even gotten a dragon in here? I figured that she would have grown since I saw her last."

Nodding, Merlin thought about the last time Gwaine would have seen the dragon. It had to have been at Camlann, as it was after that battle when Gwaine had seemed to disappear. "She has...a lot. I think there was another way; some sort of bay door with blast shielding nearby."

"How many guards are inside the room, do you think?" One of their Furling companions asked.

Merlin closed his eyes and let himself touch Aithusa's mind. " _We are coming to get you. Can you see how many guards are inside the room with you?"_

He was unprepared for what happened next. Suddenly, he was no longer in the hallway outside of her cell, but instead, looking through the dragon's eyes from the inside. It was oddly disconcerting.

Out-of-body experiences and astral projection were not completely foreign concepts, but neither were they things he had much experience with. He much preferred to stay within his own mind.

" _You should have never been born a Dragon Lord."_  He heard Aithusa tell him, offended that he would dare feel that way when he had been the one to ask for her help.

Gone was the camaraderie they had shared in the face of imminent danger, replaced by the same hostility Aithusa had harbored for centuries. He hadn't meant for his aversion to be taken as a slight against her. " _We can deal with that later, Aithusa...once we are free of this wretched place."_ He felt a deep sadness tearing at his heart. For the first time, he allowed himself to open fully and he shared with her the guilt he carried.

Aithusa's mind recoiled from him, as if stung by the darkness that had plagued him. " _I did not realize..."_

" _Neither of us did. That is what I have been trying to tell you."_ He sent her the image he had of the dragons flying and fighting in the city above; the people astride their backs working in tandem with the creatures to make a stand against the Ori. " _We aren't alone anymore, though. There are others outside...like us. They are here to help us."_

"Merlin!" Gwaine's harsh whisper snapped Merlin back into his own mind. "Patrol coming. Any idea what we're facing inside?"

Shaking his head, Merlin tried to bring himself back to the present. Since the first time he had been shown a vision in the Crystal of Neahtid, he'd hated the sensation that inundated him afterwards. The total lack of control as he was pulled into the vision, then coming back to himself in a daze. It always took a few moments for him to steady himself, even under normal circumstances.

He took a deep breath and reached for the calm he knew was inside of him; bringing the image he'd seen through Aithusa's eyes to the forefront. "Five...maybe six...men inside. Two are just inside the door, another at a console and the others are standing around the stasis field holding her."

"Show me." A large Furling man who reminded Merlin of Percival said.

When Merlin looked confused, the other man explained, "Think about that one visual and focus that thought toward us - much the way you would communicate telepathically."

Nodding, Merlin did as he was instructed.

The two Furlings smirked at each other and raised their weapons. Each took a step back from the door, ready to fire once it opened.

"You guys can share information that easily? Shit! Wish we could do that."

Merlin shrugged, "Well, you are my descendant. Maybe we can look into it when we get out of here. It would be quite useful."

"...Especially for the paintball fights." Gwaine kept talking, even as he moved to the control panel next to the door and prepared to open it. "Could you just imagine the look on Harkness' face if we pulled something like that?"

He hit the button and ducked, while the two Furlings raced in and fired their weapons. Merlin ran in after them. Gwaine paused for a brief moment, taking a quick glance down the hall to make sure it was still clear, before following and closing the door behind him.

* * *

Percival stopped. He looked up the hallway to the right, and down the other way to his left. His face scrunched as he pondered.

"You got us lost, didn't you?" Arthur smirked and shook his head. He hadn't questioned his friend's guidance, as they made their way through the control room where they had been stopped a few weeks ago. For the first few turns along the labyrinthine corridors, Percival seemed fairly assured of his path.

It quickly became apparent, however, that it wasn't going to be as easy as it had first appeared.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I..."

"There you are!" Sebryn's voice caught them off-guard. They both spun around behind them to see the Furling princess' head poking out of a doorway they had passed. "Why do men never stop for directions? Come on. I was told you guys were coming up and might have a solution."

She explained the situation while they gratefully followed her back to the room with the weapon.

Arthur and Percival took one look at it and simultaneously cringed. Drawing out the sword, Arthur glanced between it and the Ancient device.

Sebryn held up the blood red stone. She began a detailed explanation filled with technical jargon that went clear over their heads. Seeing their confusion, she held the Sangraal where it would have normally sat, suspended by the four extensions of the apparatus. "Without this arm, the connection isn't complete."

Arthur nodded and gave a sharp chuckle. "To think, it didn't seem like that long ago I was led  _to_  a stone that held this sword. Now, this sword gets to hold a stone."

The Furling snorted, "I don't know if that will work."

As she said the words, Arthur had moved forward and positioned the sword, point down, against the machine. A magnetic pull seemed to latch onto the blade, and nearly tore it from his hand.

It took a bit of maneuvering with Percival's assistance to get it positioned. The crossguard of the hilt finally came to rest at the same level of the three remaining arms.

They all jumped back as the device lit up. Everything appeared to be working, and all that was missing was the Sangraal stone to complete it.

She stepped forward with the crystal in her hand, and carefully placed it in the device. It seemed like a lifetime passed as they all watched and held their breaths.

A collective sigh escaped them when the crystal began to glow.

"One last step and we'll be free of the Ori for good." Sebryn appeared hesitant to press the button that would fire the weapon. For millennia, her people had striven to end the war and to free their galaxy from the grip of the Ori. There had only been speculation over the eons as to what that would mean.

Her hand trembled as she reached out...and froze. It was as if she no longer had control of her own body.

An evil masculine laugh from nearby accompanied her sudden inability to move. "You are nought but children playing with toys."

She was flung back against the far wall, and collapsed with a thud.

The Doci eyed the rest of the Furlings. They began shooting at him with a combination of weapons and magic, each blast bouncing harmlessly away.

"When will you realize, it was the Ori who created you? Your will is theirs..."

His rhetoric was disrupted by Arthur's self-assured voice proclaiming over the top of the commotion. "Not any longer."

The former king's hand came down on the activation button. A soft hum began to build in power. The sword started to shake. Arthur grabbed the hilt to hold it in place, and he was struck by the irony once again.

The tremors continued to grow. He felt a burning sensation in his palm as the current swept through the device.

" _Believe in yourself..._ " He could hear Merlin's words echoing in his ears and tightened his grip on the hilt, just as a shockwave encompassed the room.

* * *

Five Ori soldiers laid dead. Their bodies were piled against a wall. Gwaine was still watching the door. He thought he had heard running through the hallway beyond, but so far no one had tried to enter.

The room shook violently and dust particles floated down from the ceiling, as cracks began to form over their heads.

Something big had taken place in the tower above them. What it was...none of them could guess.

The Furling men glanced up nervously, trying to get a feel for what had happened. They turned back to the console and continued working with increased vigor.

The shield holding Aithusa was different from other Ori technology they had encountered. It was a hybrid of the systems they knew, and what appeared to be a quasi-mixture of Asgard and Goa'uld. The mess of a system was making it nearly impossible for them to figure out how to turn it off.

Merlin sat on the floor near Aithusa's head. He'd tried to put his hand on her, and pulled back sharply as it was burned by the shield. While she was no longer the skeletal, awkward little dragon, with her skin stretched to its limits over the protruding bone, he could see she wasn't healthy. She was smaller than Kilgharrah had been, as her growth had been stunted from the malnutrition she had suffered in her early years.

The opalescence of her scales after her birth was long gone, replaced by a dull, sickly off-white coloring. He'd known she hadn't looked healthy, when he had called her through the years. To see her now, under the artificial glow of the lights, made Merlin feel sick.

" _They aren't going to be able to free me, are they?"_

"Of course they are." He said in a comforting tone. "If they can't, I will. I am not leaving you here alone with the Ori."

" _The Ori are gone. I can feel it. You can, too."_

Merlin nodded. He had felt the shift the moment the weapon had been activated. The pressure in his head had released and his body had been freed of changes. His skin was still healing, and he still felt weak.

"I should have..."

" _Should have what?"_

"I don't know. Should have done so many things differently?"

" _What could you have done? Neither of us saw what we needed. I refused to listen and now you are going to die because of me."_

"We won't die. We've survived this madness far too long to die here."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Adria's melodic voice sent a chill down Merlin's spine. He hadn't even thought about her, assuming that she was still in the Milky Way when the device had been activated. Although, there had been no way to know if the loss of the Ori would have affected her.

As Merlin stared at the Orici, however, he could see that something had changed. Power flowed off her in waves as it seemed to gather around her. Unlike when he had faced her before she had converted him, the licking flames did not come from an external source. There was something familiar about it, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Bloody hell!" Merlin heard Gwaine curse. Weapons fire suddenly erupted above his head as Gwaine opened fire on Adria.

Shots rang out from the Furling energy weapons as they joined in. Although, it wasn't much of a fight. Merlin watched as the bullets and energy pulses disintegrated before they even touched the Orici.

Adria jerked her head up and the three men went flying.

Merlin reached out for Aithusa's strength, but found that it had been cut off from him. For a moment, he worried that the dragon had pulled back upon seeing her former mistress. When he saw how her eyes darted around in fear, he knew it was Adria's doing that had separated them.

Most of his strength had gone into his attack against the Doci, and he had very little left in him to battle Adria. Even so, he gathered what energy he could and brought a spell to his mind.

She smiled, and began stalking toward him. The tremors in the building seemed to intensify.

" _Forþ fleoge!"_  Merlin's hand shot out, casting a spell meant to send Adria flying backwards. Fear filled him when she barely blinked under the assault.

"Pitiful," she scoffed.

His heart was racing, and he didn't dare to turn around to see the fate of the men behind him. He had promised Aithusa that they wouldn't die here, and he'd be damned if he didn't put everything he had into making those words true. Merlin owed it to himself and his dragon.

Quieting his pulse and his mind, he reached out to try and grasp Morgana's consciousness. He was immediately assailed by a blinding flash of pain.

"Stop this, Morgana." He felt his body being lifted off the ground, and a tightening sensation around his throat.

Adria cackled gleefully. "You really think you can reach her? Well, I have news for you. Morgana isn't here anymore. It is just me in here. I know now that I was created from her, because the Ori thought she was a Furling. Too bad the power and the knowledge they had didn't show them the whole truth. Oh, yes. I know all about it now. You see, while I was in your galaxy, I was set up and tricked. Quite ingenious, actually."

Adria began to pace as she told her story. Merlin remained hanging in the air, his toes unable to touch the ground below him. His body was wracked with pain from whatever she was doing to him.

"You see, Vala had undergone the effects of the Galaran memory device. It was her own plan to have her memory altered so that I wouldn't be able to detect the truth. When I went to find my mother and attempted to show her the truth of Origin once again, I was captured by SG-1. Little did they know, Ba'al had his own plans.

"He had the gall to kidnap me from SG-1 and put one of his cloned symbiotes in me. He thought he would be able to control the followers of Origin through me.

Well, that didn't work out so well for him when the Tok'ra and SG-1 arrived. The Ba'al symbiote within me died and poisoned me."

"So, why aren't you dead?" From Leon and Gwaine, Merlin had learned that as a Goa'uld symbiote died within its host, it could choose to release a toxin into the bloodstream and cause a very painful death for the host.

"That's the most amazing thing of all. I did die." She paused and smirked, "At the moment of my death I Ascended. The Ori, in their last breaths, gifted me with all of their knowledge, so that I may continue teaching the people of the universe the path of Origin.

"I learned the truth about you and me...your history with Morgana." Adria turned toward him. She lowered him to the floor, forcing his knees to buckle. "Morgana was a fool to not recognize the power that was within her grasp."

Crushing Merlin into the floor, Adria turned toward Aithusa. "Even among your own kind, you are unique. She could have ruled over your pityful world so easily if she had only known. Her downfall was her emotions. She only wanted vengeance. Even her proclaimed love for you was nothing more than her loneliness reaching out to control something weaker than herself...something she could mold to her whim. She didn't care about you. You had healed her and were willing to follow her blindly."

The room quaked again. Metal and stone ground against each other. Merlin heard coughing behind him. "That isn't true. Morgana may have been insane, but even I knew how much she cared for Aithusa."

"You know nothing."

Aithusa watched and listened, as it was all that she could do while the shield was still active. There was nothing left of her mistress in the Ascended Orici, but she was comforted that despite all they had been through, her Dragon Lord tried to defend her. She tried reaching through, pressing against the invisible mental walls surrounding Merlin to tell him.

Whatever the Orici had previously done to him to cut him off from her, was back stronger than it had been. She feared for Merlin in the face of the newly empowered being who stood in front of them. Just as he had promised to fight for her, she knew she must do the same.

Her eyes darted over to where the three other men were. At least one of them had died on impact. He laid at the bottom of the wall; his neck at an odd angle and his eyes - open, but unseeing - looked out into the room.

The other two were luckier, and had just been knocked unconscious from the blast. She could feel the tower over their heads shift, and after centuries spent in caves, hidden from the world, she knew that the structure wouldn't support itself much longer.

One of the living men coughed again, trying to clear his throat of the debris he'd inhaled. Reaching out, Aithusa found that she could touch his mind. She was surprised to find it felt familiar.

" _Are you alive?"_

"Nope," came the sarcastic reply.

" _Do not speak aloud, or the Orici will know you are awake."_

" _Who the hell is this?"_  Gwaine tried to remain still, but he shifted his eyes around searching for the source of the voice.

" _I am Aithusa. You must listen carefully. The Orici is blocking my Dragon Lord from me, and I cannot help him. You must get the shield down if we are to survive this."_

" _...And if I don't?"_ His question was laced with mistrust for the voice in his head.

" _Then, we will all die...buried under this tower or crushed by the Orici."_

" _Good reason. How do I turn it off? Don't suppose you've seen the outlet it's plugged into or an actual off switch? Maybe a big red button that says: Do Not Push?"_

He could sense the equivalent of a blank stare of disbelief coming through his new mental connection.

"Right, then." Wiggling on his back, Gwaine tried to get a better look at the control console. He saw the two Furling men, and felt a pang of regret when he realized that at least one of them would never rise again.

The other, however, was beginning to stir. Through the hazy air that floated in the room, Gwaine began to creep closer to the man and the console. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder carefully.

When the Furling glanced up through bleary pain-filled eyes, Gwaine motioned for him to remain quiet and hold still.

Adria's focus remained on tormenting Merlin. Gwaine was torn between his desire to protect his friend and being oddly thankful that it meant she wasn't looking at him. Quietly, he pulled off a panel under the console. The entire setup of the machine was completely foreign to him and he didn't have a clue how to deactivate it.

Merlin screamed in pain, and Gwaine felt Aithusa cry out silently into his mind. " _Hurry!"_

" _Keep your britches on!"_

He had to chuckle at the confusion that filtered through his connection.

"Hey!" He said getting the Furling's attention in a hoarse whisper. "Any ideas how to turn it off? We just need to take it offline, not use it again."

The Furling shook his head. "If we could somehow disrupt the power supply..."

"Where would that be?"

"Inside that panel you pulled off?"

Gwaine rolled his eyes. Glancing around the room, he hastily tried to find something that would help. On the wall closest to Adria, he saw a small panel of flickering lights. His eyes followed the outline of a large door. " _Any clue what's behind that?"_

" _That is where the Ori lived..."_

A plan began to form in Gwaine's mind. He carefully maneuvered his way over to the dead Ori soldiers and took two of their energy weapons. He was about to take a page out of the Jack O'Neill playbook. 'If you can't turn it off, blow it up.'

He didn't know if it would work, but there wasn't much choice, and time was running out. He set one of the commandeered weapons to maximum power before stuffing it inside the opened control panel.

Rolling onto his stomach, he crawled over to the Furling and dragged him behind some cover.

"What are you doing?" The man asked, confused and dazed from being attacked by Adria.

Gwaine tipped his head to the side and smiled. He aimed the second weapon he'd taken at the panel and shot the one he had wedged between two power crystals. The room rocked with the explosion, and amongst the flaming debris Aithusa roared.

He took it as a good sign that the shield had been knocked out. "One down."

Adria screamed in rage, and Merlin was suddenly dropped like a rag doll.

She turned toward Gwaine and growled, "It doesn't matter if you free the drakkon. There is nowhere for any of you to go!"

"Well, I figured we'd just head out the door if it's all the same to you."

Gwaine carefully aimed the energy weapon at her.

She cackled and rolled her eyes. "You've lost,  _Sir_  Gwaine. How you are all still so blind, is beyond me." Adria started sauntering toward him. Her hips swayed seductively in a manner that resembled Morgana's trademark swagger.

For a moment, Gwaine was plummeted back to his last day in the sixth century. Morgana was taunting him, telling him how he had failed. She had nearly killed him back then. It was only by fluke and a timing coincidence beyond anything science could ever explain that he had been saved.

It felt like everything that had occurred in his life had led up to this moment. From growing up on the ranch to being sent back in time, and then brought back to the future...it all rested on him.

Merlin was struggling, and Aithusa was drawing a deep breath. The milliseconds ticked by. High above him in the tower, he knew for certain that Arthur and the others had been successful. Even without Adria's confirmation of the Ori's defeat, his gut told him that this was the moment they had all been waiting for.

What the Orici didn't realize, until it was too late, was that Gwaine hadn't actually been aiming at her. He activated the weapon and his shot was dead on as he targeted to the bay door control.

Sparks flew as it shorted out.

"Merlin! Open the door!" He called out, hoping that his friend could hear him.

The voice of his friend reached through his semi-conscious state. He could barely feel his limbs and it a few seconds for the words Gwaine had yelled to click. He saw the flaming door mechanism and suddenly it all came back to him.

Aithusa's breath misted over him, and his mind was cleared. The dragon was free and he could see her stretching with a mighty roar, much like when he had released Kilgharrah from Uther's prison. He still couldn't sense her and he realized it was him, not Aithusa, who was being blocked.

Adria had truly Ascended. A tiny part of him had held out hope that even after all the centuries, he could have still...somehow...saved Morgana. He finally understood he never could have. Whatever had been done to taint his bond with Aithusa had been caused long ago by Morgana.

Every last ounce of energy went into one final spell. " _Tóspringe!"_

The door rose behind Adria, disappearing into the wall above. A vast maw of darkness was all that could be seen behind her. Until this day, it had held the power of the Ori and connected with the one in the uppermost levels of the tower. Now, it held nothing.

In the blink of an eye, he was knocked to the side as Aithusa sped past him. Her fiery breath engulfed Adria and everything else seemed to blur.

Adria screamed as she was blasted into the darkness, and Merlin felt himself screaming when Aithusa followed her.

Gwaine's hands were on him, pulling him back. "We've got to get out of here!"

The roof of the prison began to give way, and despite Merlin's protests, he was carried out of the crumbling tower.


	23. Chapter 23

Sunlight warmed his body, and a smile crept onto his lips. The sound of water lapping against a shore filtered in through the open window. It was filled with the fragrance of sea salt and flowers. In all his life, he'd never come back from the grave in such a luxurious manner. The bed beneath him was a comfortable cacoon. The only thing that was missing was the body of the woman he loved sleeping beside him.

He'd dreamt about her...about making love and a real life with her. Together with the boys he'd grown to love...in a house that was fresh and new. Leon tried to hold onto the dream, but it floated away from him before he could capture anything other than the feeling it left him.

"About time you woke up."

Leon cracked an eye open, and his smile turned into a scowl. "If I had know it would be your ugly face I was waking up to, I would have stayed asleep."

Percival laughed and moved closer to the bed. He helped Leon sit up, and held out a cup for his friend to drink out of.

"What happened?"

"You killed yourself...again. Did quite a number on yourself this time." Percival sat back down and smiled. During the time he'd spent with Leon, he'd listened to Leon's stories of death. Most were shared in funny anecdotes amongst the tales of the ancient knight's life. Seeing it first hand had been a rather traumatic experience for the sixth-century man.

Like with everything that had been thrown his way, Percival was dealing with it calmly. "I really thought you..." He shook the image away. "You tossed me the sword, then..."

Leon nodded, remembering the sensation of plummeting downward. Fire ripped at his flesh and clothes. Faces swarmed around him like demons in hell. Then, nothing but the dreams until he woke up. "What happened?"

"Aithusa saved you." Percival took a breath as he began relating the events that had happened after his friend fell. Arthur had managed to hold onto the sword as the weapon was activated, keeping the crystal in place long enough for the Ori to have been destroyed.

Sebryn had been injured badly, and many other Furling people had been killed in the battles that had taken place in the tower and in the air above Celestis. But, they had survived and were able to call the day a victory.

"We met up with Gwaine and Merlin outside in the streets. Gwaine had to practically drag Merlin kicking and screaming out of the lower levels as the tower collapsed."

"Did they save Aithusa?"

Percival tipped his head back and forth. "Sort of. After the Ori were killed, Adria showed up and...Merlin says that Gwaine saved the day by blowing the place to hell. Aithusa went after Adria herself and flew into the chasm.

"We were just about ready to beam out, when out of nowhere she comes flying in with your body. Your body was bad. I didn't think you'd recover."

Leon had to chuckle. He'd heard similar words throughout his entire existence. "I always do and always will."

"You sound sad about that." Percival observed. He would have thought it was a good thing that Leon survived, since the ancient man had so much to live for.

"Yes, and no. I'm happy to be alive and will be even happier once we get home."

"But...?"

"...But, there's nothing that can be done to stop it. I dread the thought of watching Elaine growing old, and the boys growing up, while I'm still...this. I don't think I could be like Merlin and let go of it."

Percival eyed Leon curiously as the other man began to briefly explain the situation with the Cup of Life.

"Damn. So, no matter what, you're stuck?"

Leon nodded mutely.

"We'll figure out something, my friend."

"Yeah...maybe. How is Merlin doing? Now that he's found his dragon and his people."

Shrugging, Percival made a noncommittal sound. "I suppose he's alright. We're all anxious to get home, but he and Aithusa are having some issues about that."

"What do you mean?"

Percival simply shrugged again.

* * *

"You would have me return to a place where I am alone, just so you could be with a human who will die in less than a century? I have suffered so much because of the neglect that was forced upon me by so many...yourself included. If you order me to return with you, I will obey, but know that I will not do so willingly."

"If we are not together, we will still be in pain. Both of us would suffer." Merlin explained again, even though they both already knew it. "However, I can't just abandon Martha!"

"You abandoned me when I was a baby." Her tone held no malice. It was a simple matter-of-fact statement.

"I was practically a child myself! I was never taught how to be a Dragon Lord! I never knew any of this!" He ranted, and threw his hands in the air.

"Nor did I. I do not blame you for that. Kilgharrah and your father are the ones who truly failed us both. Now that we are finally in a position to understand and to heal one another...you want to take me back to a place where I will be alone. A place where I would have to hide for the rest of my existence. Haven't I been hidden away long enough? Please, Merlin...do not order me to leave this place."

"You wouldn't have to hide on the Nox homeworld. They have offered you sanctuary..."

"...And yet, there are still no other drakkons. None of our kind live there. You would much rather be a human still, than embrace the fact there are people like us. Bring her here if you must, but don't ask me to leave."

"I'm sorry. I wish..." Tears fell freely from his eyes and he collapsed into a cross-legged position on the ground next to her head.

"I wish there was a way they could be free of each other and not forced into this choice." Arthur contemplated thoughtfully in a whispered breath from a nearby bench.

It had been nearly a month since the Ori had been defeated. The Asgard ship had taken heavy losses and been damaged almost beyond hope during the battle. It currently sat at the docking station that orbited a nearby moon - the repairs nearly completed. Once it was ready, it would take another two weeks to make it back to the Milky Way.

Almost two months would have passed by the time the men from Earth made it back home. Arthur was the most anxious to return. He'd had enough of sitting around. The Orici was still out there, but he was of the opinion that she was no longer the problem of him or his men. Morgana was dead. Even Aithusa agreed that there was nothing left of her mistress inside Adria.

The Asgard had contacted their brethren and discovered that even without the Ori, the followers were still wreaking havoc and spouting words of Origin. It seemed that Adria's Ascension had immediately filled the rift that the Ori would have left.

He missed Guinevere and their children, but he refused to leave without his friends. Leon had only awoken that morning. He was still groggy from his recovery, which led to him finally telling his friends about Heimdall's information on the Cup. Unfortunately, the Furlings of this galaxy couldn't offer him any more help than the Asgard of the Milky Way.

Merlin and Aithusa were still healing themselves. Both were benefiting and thriving from finally coming to terms with the bond they shared, under the watchful eyes of the other Furlings.

He watched the two of them conversing in the garden, and wondered what would have happened if he had been more accepting of magic back in Camelot, or if Merlin had spoken out about his true feelings on the issue. Shoving aside that train of thought, Arthur knew they would have all been dead by now if they had. Guinevere's second pregnancy with Igraine would have ended in tragedy if not for the modern medicine.

The Plague would still have come upon Camelot and taken many of his subjects. Leon and Merlin would have been alone, wandering the world or the galaxy...hurting and broken. Perhaps some things would have been different, but Laney and her boys would have been alone, without her brother having been able to return home and somehow draw them all together.

Home was no longer a castle filled with servants and the pressures of running a kingdom, but it was better. The simple, yet elegant, estate that Merlin had built over the years was more than enough for the former king and he longed to see it once more. He knew Merlin and the others felt the same.

"How are they, today?" Gilgamesh asked, coming alongside Arthur and motioning toward Merlin and Aithusa.

"Still at an impasse."

The leader of the Furling people nodded thoughtfully. "It is a difficult situation for both of them."

"Martha's family is on Earth, and I doubt she would want to completely abandon them to come here, though I know she would do it to be with Merlin. But, Merlin...he's spent so many centuries making a life for himself there. Guinevere and I would join them, as my place is with Merlin. Someone needs to remind him to not be an idiot, and we aren't as attached to that world as they are."

Gilgamesh gave Arthur an encouraging pat on his shoulder. "I have been speaking with the council, and with our scientists. We had hoped that the two of them could find common ground before we spoke up. There is way to remedy this situation, but it can be extremely dangerous even under the best of circumstances."

Merlin looked up at the two men. He'd noticed when the leader of the Furlings had entered the garden and had quickly tried to mask his emotional turmoil.

"What is this way, Gilgamesh?" Merlin asked, not wanting to get his hopes up.

"You can sever your bond."

"That would kill us both because of the genetic mutations." It was something that he and Aithusa had already contemplated among many other possible solutions, each of which had fallen short of actually being plausible.

"Yes. In your own galaxy, it would have." Gilgamesh laughed at their naiveté. "Do you think you are the first pair to have issues of trust?"

Merlin glanced at Aithusa. He felt reluctant to separate from her, now that they had finally begun to realize how deep of a bond they shared. He sensed the same reluctance from her, but also a spark of hope. "How, then?"

"The simplest way is to gift the bond to a son or daughter."

"I thought it was a male gene?"

"Once again, perhaps in your own galaxy."

"My children died centuries ago, and my new wife hasn't even given birth yet." Merlin shook his head. He doubted if he would be willing to push off the burden on any child.

"Did your previous children have any offspring?"

"Yes." The dark-haired man said suspiciously.

"Any child from your line has the possibility of carrying the dormant gene. We have the ability to isolate it and activate it. Then, we would have to ascertain if the genes are even compatible with the drakkon. It would be difficult, as I said before, but it can be done."

The snorted half-chuckle of Gwaine announced the man's presence into the garden. "Sounds kind of like an organ transplant."

Merlin turned around and saw his friend coming onto the lawn.

Sebryn was with him, using the man as a crutch. Like everyone else, she was recovering slowly from the ordeal. "That would probably be a fairly accurate description, from what I've read of the process."

Merlin noticed the determined look in his friend's eye. "No, Gwaine."

"Yes, Merlin."

"I can't ask..."

"You aren't. I'm offering. What do you think, Aithusa? Think you could put up with a devilishly handsome, former knight and Marine?"

Aithusa raised her head and stared at Gwaine. "I remember you from Ismere. You are the one whom the Diamair spoke to?" Not for the first time had the man managed to completely confound the fifteen-centuries-old dragon. "How can you be this one's descendant if you were there...and older than he was?"

Gwaine just grinned, "That didn't sound like a no."

"What about your sister, and Carolyn?" Arthur asked, forcing a smile and tipping his head at Sebryn.

"I told Sebryn about all that." Gwaine said, waving off the concern. "I left Carolyn a message before we came. I just had a gut feeling I wouldn't make it back. Even if I did, I don't think we would have lasted much longer. She'd been hinting at a new job possibility, anyway that would take her off-world. Some majorly classified project."

Merlin cringed, "I hope it wasn't that Icarus project thing. I'd received a couple of emails trying to entice me into joining it for the IOA, since I had been interested in the Atlantis Expedition. I hope she turns them down. Something is not right about that whole thing."

He nodded in agreement. "Anything named after a Greek tragedy should be outlawed. As far as 'Lane goes...Well...she's my sister. She'll bitch about it for a while, but she gets me. Not like we couldn't find a way to come visit at some point, right?"

Sebryn leaned in closer to him and smiled in agreement.

Merlin hid his smirk as he turned back to Gilgamesh and noticed the man bristling slightly. "If this happens, Aithusa will be bonded to Gwaine. It would allow her to live, but what would happen to me?"

"If you survive the process, your lifespan would return to the point where it normally would have been, had you not found a drakkon to bond with. It would be longer than the humans around you and you will eventually succumb to the effects of ageing."

"Would I still have my magic?"

"More than likely, as it is an inherited trait from your line as a result of the joining with the race you call the Nox, and you still have Furling blood."

Mentally, Merlin sent a question to Aithusa. " _What do you think? I don't know if I'd be willing to put up with Gwaine for that long. So, the choice is yours._ "

Aithusa stared at the scruffy-looking man. She was well aware of how he had been the one to hear her voice and find a way to free her from the Ori.

Their history together didn't have the animosity of centuries hanging over them. Although, she knew that he didn't care for Morgana, the reasoning was something she could understand.

Her mistress was gone, though; completely replaced by the Orici. Aithusa wondered if perhaps she had already spent too much time lamenting her lost companion.

Bringing her nose close to him, Aithusa inhaled deeply, trying to get a sense of the future. Her large, blue eyes shifted between Gwaine and the Furling woman next to him. Nothing was clear to her, but she did get a sense of a great future between the two.

Sebryn had become a friend to her in the days following the battle. She was among the first to welcome Aithusa into the new life with her own kind.

"What? Trying to see if you're allergic to me or something? I swear if you sneeze on me, I'm going to be pissed." Gwaine warned the dragon with a tap on the snout.

The dragon chuckled and shook her head. Gwaine confused her with his odd sense of humor, but if he was willing to stay in this foreign place so that she might be with her own kind, she couldn't see a reason to not accept the possibility.

"Very well. Let us find out more about this process. I believe it would be in the best interests for all of us."


	24. Chapter 24

The Stargate closed behind them with a sound that seemed to suck all the air away for an instant. The light that had emanated from the large circle ceased and left the room in a dim bluish glow.

Merlin hesitated for an instant, noting how similar the light from the crystals mimicked that of the lower levels of the tower where Aithusa had been kept.

Arthur patted his friend on the shoulder with a knowing smirk. "We're home."

Nodding, Merlin allowed a smile of his own to creep onto his tired face. "We're home."

"Let's get out of here and go say hello to our wives, shall we?" They were tired and worn, their appearance haggard and drawn, but the relief at breathing in the first breath of air from their home planet was palpable.

Mickey grinned as he shut down the control consoles and greeted them enthusiastically. "Expecting the SGC, were ya?"

He didn't give them a chance to respond before he jumped into describing how he'd been working with Jack on a solution to the problem of two Gates on the same planet.

Using Torchwood technology, they'd found a way to redirect the incoming wormhole and give the Gate in the Crystal Cave precedence when it was turned on, while keeping the place hidden. The SGC would be none the wiser about the activation of another Gate on Earth, and the power draw was redirected through the Rift in Cardiff.

It had been Martha's idea originally, and they had also found a way to utilize a redirected power transfer to reopen the Gate if needed. "If we had known where you were, we could have sent a message through to you lot."

Mickey had only paused long enough to question Gwaine's missing presence, while he helped them haul their gear outside to a nearby four-wheel-drive cart.

"He's fine." Leon had answered unenthusiastically, and the others nodded in agreement.

Mickey pulled him aside, just before the ancient knight climbed into the cart. "You need to come with me, actually."

Worried that something might have happened to his ship, Leon told the others he would see them later and followed Mickey to an SUV parked just outside the Valley of the Fallen Kings.

He sighed and leaned back against the headrest of the SUV. "Where are we going, Mickey?"

"You'll see."

The vehicle crept out of the forest and turned down a narrow road that wound its way through the countryside surrounding the estate. They passed through a small town without stopping. Leon had wondered if perhaps Laney had gotten so fed up with being unable to do her own chores, that she had taken the boys and moved into the quaint village.

As the country road opened up before them again, he shook his head in confusion. His ship had been parked and safely cloaked closer to the manor, and with the village falling behind them, he wasn't sure what to think. "Seriously, Mickey. I'm exhausted and..."

"We're almost there." The younger man said and turned off the main street onto a single lane, dirt road. Judging by the ruts, it had been well used recently, though Leon couldn't recall having seen the path before.

When the forest gave way to a clearing, he gaped in surprise.

It appeared to be a construction site, surrounding a once dilapidated two-story stone house. It looked completely different from the last time he had been there. There was now a new roof over the structure. Sparkling, clear windows still had their manufacturer's stickers plastered over the panes of glass. Pallets nearby held lumber and other various fixtures.

The area around the old well had been recently dug up, and a small shed seemed to serve as a pump-house for new water supply lines.

He snorted out a laugh at the revelation. "She's fixing up the place."

"Yeah. We've all been working on it. She and the boys came out here to start choosing paint colors or something today. At least, that was her excuse. The ladies have all been getting weird without you guys, and I think everyone being on top of each other...It was just getting on her nerves."

Leon pushed open the door and stepped out of the SUV. He stared up at the house until he heard familiar calls that sent a warm feeling through him. Randy was the first to appear, rushing as fast as he could out of the front door. The other two boys followed behind.

All three began chattering excitedly about the house. Leon was pleased to see that even Greg seemed to have turned a corner, and he made a mental note to talk to the boy about it later.

They told him about the different projects around the house in order to get it to a livable state, and how they had all taken part in it.

Laney smiled from the doorway, watching her boys. Leon looked up and winked at her. She knew they would have their own reunion later. For now, she was happy to let her kids have a bit of time with him. There still hadn't been any word from her ex-husband. Not that she had expected anything, but for the sake of her boys she still wished their real father would have taken a bit more of an interest.

She stopped herself. The boys had a dad...even if she wasn't ready to commit. In the few months since they had deepened their relationship, Leon had become more involved with her boys than Jason had ever been.

Finally, he broke away from the kids and long strides carried him quickly to her. She pushed out of the doorframe and into his arms.

Neither noticed when the dark-skinned man wrangled the boys and herded them to his SUV, until the boys yelled obnoxiously out the car windows while they drove off. Laney made a mental note to thank Mickey later.

After some laughs and more kisses...simple, sweet and gentle...Laney led him into the house to show off the progress that had been made.

Their fingers were entwined, as she pulled him from room to room. Plumbing had been roughed in. Many of the walls had interior framework installed that was filled with insulation and covered with drywall.

"The drywallers will be out here this next week to finish the taping and mudding, and then, the rest of the finishing work inside can begin. God, I hope you aren't pissed that we went ahead and started on this. I know we didn't get much time to talk about -"

Her words were cut off when he took her face in his calloused hands and kissed her passionately. "I love it." His hands glided down over her shoulders and fingers splayed across her back. He pulled her tightly against him. "I missed you."

"Uh huh." She whispered breathlessly between his kisses. While their relationship had evolved beyond the physical, she wasn't about to let an opportunity to be alone with him go to waste. She easily kicked off her sandals, while her hands made short work of his belt, pulling on the buckle until it came loose.

* * *

They laid facing each other on the new carpet, in what would be their bedroom once the house was completed. Their noses brushed against each other as they giggled and kissed in the afterglow of their lovemaking. "Mmm. Not sure which is better." She hummed.

"What's that?"

" _Make up_ sex after a fight, or _welcome home_ sex. God, both are so good."

Leon laugh and propped himself up on his elbow. "I think, I prefer the _welcome home_ myself. The _make up_ sex means we'd have to argue beforehand... Not really keen on that." He leaned down over her, opening his mouth against hers and probing the depths sensually with his tongue.

It still amazed him how she always seemed to respond to just what he wanted, giving him exactly what he needed. Sometimes their passion was soft and gentle, while other times were hard and desperate.

Stretching like a cat, she smiled at him. "Me, neither. But, the welcome home stuff means you'd have left again. I don't think I could stand it if you were gone again for so long." Laney shivered in his arms. "I had a dream while you were gone that you had died."

His hand followed the curve of her hips and around to the small of her back. He pulled her naked body tightly against his. "I'm here. I'm home." Leon assured her.

"We should probably head back to the manor." Laney sighed after a few minutes had passed. "I got a call from Carolyn not long after you guys left. She was pissed by whatever message Gwaine had left her. God, I hope I don't need to try and run damage control...What?"

"Elaine..."

Her eyes widened fearfully at the somber tone in his voice. Her pulse jumped with worry. "My brother had better still be alive or you are going to find yourself in a hell of a lot of trouble. Fracking hell, Leon! How could you just come in here and make love to me like that when Gwaine-"'

"Gwaine is fine. He didn't return with us, though. He decided to stay with Aithusa." He smiled and brushed a stray lock of hair off of her face.

"Oh. Like on the Nock world, or wherever it is you guys were going to be taking her?"

Chuckling softly, he corrected, "Nox...and...not exactly. They are still in the other galaxy. But, Elaine, he might not come back."

"What? Why?"

Leon sat up, and began reaching for their clothing while he told her briefly about what had transpired between Merlin and Aithusa. Out of his coat pocket, he pulled out his personal recorder. He'd left it on the Asgard ship with most of their gear, when they had beamed down to the planet before the final battle. "The first couple of messages are from me, but the last one is from your brother."

Leon excused himself once he was dressed to give Laney some privacy to listen to the messages.

Waiting until he was gone, Laney turned it on and cued the first recording. She smiled like a schoolgirl at the first couple of messages.

Leon's voice was telling her that he was thinking of her; hinting that he wished she would reconsider her answer, but never actually coming out and saying it. He wondered what the boys were up to and he also talked about how they needed to figure out something for the future. He spoke of how he was worried about telling the others what they had found out from Heimdall. There was too much other stuff going on and the issue with the Cup wasn't going anywhere.

"How's this thing work?" Her brother's voice asked.

"It's working now, Gwaine." Leon told him. She could hear the exasperation in his voice.

"But, how the hell do you turn it on?"

"It _is_ on, Gwaine. How you have managed to survive..."

"Oh, for frack's sake! Would you mind giving me some room?"

Laney could hear some sort of grumbled curse of a response in the background.

"Hey, Sis. Well, at least this time I have a way to tell you where I'm getting stuck. You can kill me in our next life for leaving you twice in this one. How's that sound?

"Anyway. I suppose Leon has told ya about what's happened by the time you get this. If not...well, I'm taking Merlin's place. I don't know how they're doing it, or what's going to happen. But, ya know...if it gets him back home to Martha and their little one, it's a good thing.

"The deal is: no one else can do it, and even if they could...Well, Arthur has Gwen and his kids, and Leon needs to get home to you and the boys."

Even though he wasn't actually there with her, she felt a voice inside her wanting to yell at her baby brother for his logic, no matter how sound it was. As if reading her mind, the voice continued.

"Don't argue. Gah! I know you. Leon's good for ya! Hell, he's the only guy I've ever known you with who I actually approve of. Shit, 'Lane. Don't let him get away, huh? I've never seen you so happy. Neither have the kids from what it sounds like. He loves you and would do anything for you. All four of you.

"I don't want to know all that shit that goes through your mind, but I think you need to knock it off and just accept it. So what if he'll outlive ya? You know he's not going to complain about old age, and arthritis and shit. Fracking hell, Elaine. If you don't get over yourself and marry him, I will find someway to come back and kick your ass!"

Laney smiled and chuckled.

"And, no. Get that out of your head. Not marrying him is not a real way to get me home. I got a new girl to think of now. Maybe two. Aithusa needs me, and you know...it's pretty cool being able speak in the Dragon Lord language. Soon as the gene was activated - even before we got to the whole bonding thing - I could feel it and speak it.

"These people here, they're pretty cool. I know I'm going to be learning a lot from them. Aithusa and I both are. Real Furlings, and now I'm one of them.

"Anyway, I kinda met someone. She's... Well, her name is Sebryn. She's beautiful. A real honest-to-god princess, and I think I'm in love. I can feel you rolling your eyes and thinking how many times you've heard me say that before. Okay. Maybe not recently, but...Shit.

"Tell Carolyn I'm sorry. She was amazing and she helped me so much. But, I think I was just too broken when I needed her, that I would almost feel obligated to love her if I had stuck around...and well... You know that's not a good thing. Tell her not to take that job, if you talk to her. Thinking about it gives me the heebee jeebies.

"Give the boys hugs for me. I'll try to get back there and see you sometime. I promise. I love the bloody hell out of you, Elaine Dallon. You drive me nuts, but I'd never want anyone else to be my big sister, alright? Gonna miss ya, 'Lane. I'm glad I'm getting to say goodbye to you this time."

* * *

Leon sat outside the door, his back against the cool stone wall. He didn't know what Gwaine had said to his sister. In spite of his curiosity, he let her have her space while she listened to the message.

He looked back up at the old house. It was so different with the modern roof and windows.

It was a new beginning built on a strong foundation of the past; a bridge between who he had been and who he had become. It felt almost as if the centuries in between no longer existed.

The time when he was nothing more than his duty to protect Arthur's sword, was in the past. As he sat in the quiet solitude, he allowed his mind to wander. He almost didn't hear when Laney finally emerged from the house, tears in her eyes.

She sat down and tucked in next to him, wrapping her arms around his chest. He held her comfortingly. They didn't say anything for a while. He let it be, knowing she was still processing the situation of possibly never seeing her baby brother again.

He silently promised her that he would try and find a way.

For the first time, his soul was at peace, and he wasn't prepared when she pulled back and removed the ring from her right hand. She pressed it into his palm and he flinched.

"Elaine…"

"Shut up and listen."

He did, but his eyes were strained with worry about why she was giving the ring back to him. He wondered if he had done something wrong, or if the message from Gwaine had discouraged her from wanting to be with him.

"Take this back." She said, and he just sat staring at her, confused and heartbroken. "...For now."

Laney took a breath and continued, "Martha called a friend of hers and she took Toby with her on a bit of an adventure. She now has your DNA from before the whole Cup bullshit. We can take it to Heimdall and get that stuff sorted out. Once that's taken care of...then ask me."

He fingered the ring, staring at it for a moment as realization began dawning in his mind. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out and cupping her face. His thumb rubbed along her jaw and he looked deep into her eyes. "You better believe I will."

* * *

The Gator quad cart rumbled to a halt outside of the garage.

"You know the one thing I like the most about being here and now with all of you?" Arthur asked as climbed out onto the pavement.

"What's that?" Merlin asked, as a squeal of delight pierced the scene.

Arthur smirked and turned toward the woman smiling broadly from the other end of the driveway. "The complete lack of propriety. I don't have to worry about kissing my wife whenever I like."

He walked briskly toward his wife, who was holding their daughter Igrane in one arm and Aurie's hand in the other. Capturing her by the waist, he pulled her in and kissed her like he hadn't since he was still a prince.

Aurie wrapped his chubby arms around his father's knee and was rewarded by being scooped up into the warrior's arms.

Merlin smiled in amazement at how far they had all come since their days in Camelot. Looking down at the gear, he grimaced to himself. _Maybe things hadn't changed that much._ He desperately wanted to find his own wife, but the gear needed to be cleaned and put away.

As if reading his mind, Percival said, "Go find her. I'll take care of this."

"Thank you." He breathed a sigh of relief and started toward the house.

* * *

The dark brown liquid splashed against the edges of the cup as it was poured from the decanter. Steam wafted up over the brim.

Caffeine was supposed to be avoided during pregnancy, and her training as a medical doctor supported the advice. She took a sip of the guilty pleasure and it tasted glorious on her tongue. The warmth cascaded down her throat and she realized how much she had missed having an actual cup of coffee.

Before they were married, and even afterwards for a while, she had taken for granted the times she and Merlin would simply sit in the kitchen and shared a cuppa...whether it was here at the estate, at Merlin's tiny flat that he'd rented near the Snowdon Base, or at her condo in New York.

Because of their lifestyles and jobs, sometimes the coffee dates had been at odd times via video calls. The last two months, with no word at all from her husband, had been hard.

She rubbed her growing belly and wondered if she would ever see her babies' father again. Martha had been trying to keep busy by volunteering her services at the local medical clinic. It wasn't nearly as exciting as her work with UNIT had been, but it kept her mind occupied.

Another task she had been trying to manage hadn't been nearly as rewarding. In fact, it had been more daunting than anything, and she had seriously begun to question the wisdom in her decision when she had asked the Doctor to make one more stop before bringing her and Toby back to their own timeline.

The older woman, sitting at the kitchen table preparing vegetables for dinner, looked out of place. Auburn hair, heavily streaked with gray, was pulled back into a bun underneath a headscarf. Her clothes were plain and simple. Although brand new, the woman somehow made them seem like they were from another time.

Martha bit back a snide comment when she heard the woman huff out a small breath. It hadn't mattered how many times Martha had tried to explain the situation, the woman refused to listen.

She couldn't blame the woman, though. The entire thing was a mess.

The kitchen door opened, and Martha didn't bother turning toward it, assuming it was Gwen or Harri coming inside.

She squealed and was barely able to set down her cup when pale arms, covered in a light dusting of dark hair wrapped around her from behind.

"Hope you saved me a cup." Her husband said softly against her ear.

Tears flowed from her eyes, and she cursed the way her hormones had turned her emotions into a roller coaster. Twisting in his arms, she met his face as he dipped down to kiss his wife. "Oh, my god! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you, too."

"How did it go? Are you alright? Did you manage to find her?" Martha's questions rolled off her tongue in rapid succession.

Merlin chuckled. It was sound that was freer and younger than anything she had ever heard from him. His face was lit up with a spark of life that she had only seen during her adventure with Toby in Old Camelot. "Yes, we found her and everything is going to be fine now. I'm yours now, Martha. For the rest of my life, I am yours."

"What does that mean?" She asked suspiciously.

"It means that it is part of a long story I will explain to you later. For now, just know that...Well, I'm probably still going to outlive you, but I will finally be growing older and I will no longer have the darkness hanging over me as we raise our children and... OW!"

She pinched his shoulder and glared at him accusingly. "You knew?!"

"Uh..." Merlin smiled sheepishly at his wife. "I suspected?"

"Oh, my god! I can't believe you knew I am carrying twins and you didn't even tell me!"

"Martha! Martha..." He cupped her face in his hands. The ability he'd gained to see the threads of fate had shown him two entwined lives before he had left. He hadn't been completely certain that they were actually together, or just really close to each other.

When he had wrapped his arms around her for the first time in months, he had known for sure that the two came together from her. "I wanted to be with you, and see your face when you found out. I'm sorry it took me so long to get home. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Sorry, I just...ugh! These damn hormones are already driving me crazy!" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffled, "I have a surprise for you, too. Turn around."

He cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "What..." His words left him when he did as she had instructed.

Standing next to the table was a woman he had never imagined he would have ever seen again outside of Balinor's stored memories. "Mother?"

Tears streamed down Hunith's face as she opened her arms to the man she called her son. She'd had her misgivings about the modern world, and the strange woman who had practically kidnapped her from her home.

Gwen had welcomed her to the new world with open arms, but Hunith had been suspicious. The girl she had taken in, who later became queen, had died years earlier as far as Hunith had been concerned.

They had told her about Arthur, Gwaine, and Percival, but she still hadn't been able to wrap her mind around the idea they were alive in this strange place. All she had seen of her son were odd portraits of him in front of foreign objects, and in dress that she could have never imagined. They had promised her that he would be returning, though after a few weeks she hadn't believed them.

Martha had tried to explain that Ealdor had fallen under an evil warlord, and the strange man she had been with confirmed it. The only one she had any sort of trust in was Laney. She was the only one who seemed real to Hunith.

The outspoken woman was a mother herself and had seen the hardships of life, Hunith could tell. Laney hadn't treated Hunith with kid gloves like the other women. She had never tried to convince her of things that seemed to defy any logic Hunith was aware of.

The moment she saw her son, walking into the kitchen to wrap his arms around Martha, Hunith's heart had lifted.

He had changed in so many ways, and his eyes were so much older than she remembered. Deep inside, though, she knew it was him.

"Merlin." She whispered, as he swept her up in an embrace.

Tears of joy and relief streamed down his face. "She saved you. That's why I couldn't find you. Martha saved you."

* * *

The lights were dimmed, as they all settled in around the media room after supper.

Martha tucked herself in between her husband's legs on a large couch, while he rubbed her lower back soothingly. Over dinner, they had all told stories from their adventures, but the moment now belonged to Toby, who had set up his computer for a slideshow.

The first picture that came up was the castle that had once stood where the manor was now built. The towers glowed in the morning sunlight.

"Camelot...?" Arthur breathed out. The castle he had been born and raised in was an awe-inspiring sight to behold. Sadness fell upon him as he recalled Merlin's story of how the glorious kingdom had fallen after his death.

Aurie was on his father's lap and wiggled in discomfort at the sudden change of emotion. Arthur glanced down at his son. Aurelianus might never inherit a kingdom, but without the pressures of leadership, the former king could give his son so much more than his own father had been able to.

He had once told Gwen that he would run away with her and become a farmer just to be with her. It was still true, but he was thankful for the new life they had been granted together, where he wouldn't have to be.

There had been messages left from representatives of the IOA and the SGC concerning their alliances with other races throughout the galaxy. He and Merlin had decided to deal with them in the next few days. The people of the Milky Way needed to know what had transpired on Celestis, and how Adria might be even more of a threat than before. _But_ , he thought to himself as he held his family close, _it could wait one more night_.

"For the love of Camelot." Leon, Percival, and Merlin all stated in voices filled with reverence and wonder.

"Hey! It's not a model!" Mickey pointed out happily. Cushions an pillows from around the room assailed the young man and told him that his sense of humor was not well-received.

Toby switched to the next picture in the sequence.

Arthur groaned, as laughter erupted. He saw himself as a young man. A disdainful sneer covered his face.

"Now, there's the prat I remember."

He was about to respond when the picture switched again and Arthur cackled with glee. "...And there're the ears I remember!"

"Fracking hell, Merlin. You could have flown away with those things!" Leon laughed.

"You're both clotpoles."

"Where on earth did you get these pictures?" Gwen asked, amazed when she saw herself chewing on the side of her thumb nervously. "I mean, I know you went back in time, but I didn't expect to see...this!"

Martha smiled and explained, "We arrived during some tournament, and managed to get a few shots off while we were looking for Leon. Toby managed to partake in a lesson of how to properly clean armor."

"Yeah, after I nearly got thrown in the stocks for calling the prince an asshole."

Arthur stared at the young man in confusion.

"Asshole...a hole." Merlin began chuckling in disbelief, "That was you?"

Toby beamed, "You remember!"

"Vaguely. I think." His face fell into deep concentration as he tried to recall a single day from centuries before.

"I recognize when this was!" Arthur stated proudly. "This was the tournament celebrating the wedding of a Scottish Princess to our very own Sir Leon."

Percival clapped Leon on the back. "I remember you telling me about it. Sorcerers were everywhere, you said. First, a squire nearly died when some horses broke free, and then they were watching the tourney and planning to disrupt everything with their magic. Somehow, every one of them managed to escape..."

"...In that blue box thing!" Arthur finished for him. "My father was furious! He almost called the whole thing off."

Leon groaned, as he finally recalled that day. "Yes. There was an oddly attired boy in your tent when I went to find Merlin." He shook his finger admonishing at Toby, who continued to grin as he flipped through more pictures.

Laney began fanning herself as the picture changed again and a video began to play of two knights racing toward each other with lances. At the closest end of the tournament field, the victor removed his helmet and smiled at the crowd. "Ooooh, myyyyy!"

"Mom!"

"What? You put up a video of Leon in full armor and don't expect me to comment? Hello. Have you met me?"

Toby's face turned red with embarrassment. His brothers chortled from their seats, not understanding the full humor the adults shared.

Leon laughed uproariously before leaning over and whispering something into his lover's ear. Soon, Laney's face was just as red as her son's.


	25. Final Epilogue

"Ahem." The housekeeper's insistent throat clearing caused Merlin to sneer in a way that would have made Arthur proud.

"No, Harri. I will not take my wife's bum off of the counter and you can just deal with it." He kissed Martha gently. "Doing alright?"

Martha went still and gripped Merlin's shoulders. Her forehead pressed to his and her face contorted in pain.

Harri smiled knowingly. She understood that for today at least, the usual banter between her and Lord Emyrs would have to wait, and she exited the kitchen quietly.

"Just breathe." He reminded her softly. His hands moved down and massaged her lower back until the tightness passed. "You sure you don't want to go to the hospital, yet?"

"I don't know." Martha moaned softly. "The doctor in me says I should have gone already and opted for the c-section since we're having twins, but I want something simpler. I just can't seem to think straight today."

"We can stay home. Our room is already set to go, if you like. It's totally up to you. If something happens, I can teleport us to the hospital."

"Are you saying something is going to happen?" Her dark eyes widened in fear.

Merlin placed a hand on her abdomen. He made soothing, shushing sounds to comfort her. It was so unusual to see Martha so out of control.

He felt the babies inside and smiled. Both were healthy and ready to enter the world. "I have been helping to deliver babies for centuries. Gwen had assisted my mentor, Gaius, on many births as well. Plus, there's my mother."

"...Who utterly hates me." Martha whined.

"She doesn't hate you."

She groaned, as another contraction began squeezing her pelvic region.

Frowning, Hunith stood outside the kitchen door, listening to her son and his wife. She felt a pang of regret at Martha's words. Hunith didn't hate the young woman whom her son was obviously so fond of, but the shock of being pulled from the medieval ages and into the madness of the modern world had sent her reeling.

At first, she had despised Martha for virtually abducting her. Her home, and everything she had known, was gone. Merlin had told her the story of how it had been completely wiped out by the warlord, and then forgotten in the passage of time.

Now, even though she understood that nothing could have been done to save her home, Hunith felt extremely guilty that she alone had survived that day.

Gwen and her son had been her only connection to the world she had once known, and in her mind, they had both perished long before. They had tried to explain the situation to her, in hopes of getting Hunith to realize that what she was experiencing was indeed real.

It wasn't until the day that Merlin had finally arrived home that meaning of their words had become clear. She could see in her son's eyes how much he had aged, how much heartache and joy he had experienced. His eyes reminded her of her own lost love.

Her heart was filled with regret for the way she had treated Martha.

Merlin loved his wife, just as much as he had loved Mithian. From the moment he had entered the house and taken Martha into his arms, Hunith had seen that. By then, however, she wasn't sure how to approach her new daughter-in-law.

The idea that Martha now felt that Hunith hated her weighed heavily in her soul.

She shook her head and wiped away a few small tears as she heard Martha groan from the pain of another contraction. She had missed the births of her grandchildren with Merlin's first wife because of distance and her own stubbornness at not wanting to leave Ealdor.

A ghost had held her prisoner in the small village. Part of her had always believed that once Uther was dead, her love would have returned to her. She had waited for decades and had never known the truth about her handsome man, with his fanciful tales of stars and dragons.

Merlin had tried to tell her once, long ago, of Balinor's fate. While she had listened and understood, her heart had refused to believe it. Hunith had wasted too much time on wistful dreams of his return.

After Merlin's return from Celestis, he had taken her to the Crystal Cave and shown her the recordings of Balinor's memories. She had shut herself in her room and cried for days afterward; overwhelmed and overburdened by everything, Merlin had brought her food and tried to speak with her, but she just wasn't ready to deal with it all.

Percival had finally pushed his way into the room and didn't emerged for hours.

When he left, her tears had ceased and she finally felt ready to accept her fate. Whatever he had said, had helped ease her back into life, and she was more open to the modern world than she had been. He was the only one who seemed to truly appreciate her position.

It didn't fill the rift that had formed between her and Martha, however. The young woman still led a busy life and had left Hunith to her own devices. Meanwhile, Hunith's guilt held her tongue.

They lived in the house together, but despite Merlin's efforts, they remained separated by their differences. Hunith often wondered if she was so stubborn that she would allow herself to miss out on the lives of her twin grandbabies - who were now demanding to see the light of day.

Taking a breath, she forced herself to finally push aside her endless grief and sorrow.

She walked into the kitchen with her head held high. A soft smile tugged at her lips at the sight of her son trying to comfort his new wife.

"Martha, you need to get off that counter and stand up. Walk around if you can. I've helped bring many other children into the world and yours will not be born if you sit up there, folded over your belly like that."

She had heard Merlin tell his wife something similar when the first of the contractions had started, but like any independent woman who had never experienced childbirth for herself, Martha hadn't been ready to listen.

Glancing up and hearing her mother-in-law's wisened voice, Martha finally complied.

Merlin carefully held her, while she steadied herself, bracing against him for support.

"I would like to midwife for you, if you do want to have these children here. Although I don't quite understand the alternative that you've spoken of, I have faith that between my son and I, your children would be perfectly fine and well by being born in your own bedchamber."

Martha gave the woman a pained smile. "I would like nothing more." Suddenly, she gasped and cringed as the loose pants she wore became drenched. "Well, I think the boys have decided. It's probably too late to get to the hospital now. Oh, Harri is going to make me suffer for this mess on her floor."

Laughing, Merlin pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. He met his mother's eyes and mouthed a thank you.

Hunith smiled as an invisible weight lifted off her shoulders. "Merlin, get her up to your room. I'll go find Gwen to assist and we'll be up shortly."

* * *

His heart raced as the wide expanse of stars stretched out into unfathomable depths of space. Ahead of him, floating in the zero gravity atmosphere, was a Stargate. He'd read the Atlantis reports about the Gate orbiting the planet where the city was located, but seeing it was something completely different.

For a moment, he wondered how he was going to navigate through the ring of chevrons. A tug at his consciousness told him that he had the easy job of just hanging on.

Almost a month prior, Mitchell and the other members of SG-1 had come through to Celestis. Jackson had found more Ancient texts on a device that Moros had called The Ark of Truth. When opened, it had shone a brilliant light on the Priors who still controlled the followers of the Ori and showed them the truth of who the Ori had been.

Priors across the galaxy had been fed the knowledge from the collective mindset and each had been horrified at the revelations.

While checking out the stories, Gwaine had met up with his old friend once again.

Mitchell had recounted the story of how Ganos Lal, the Ancient known as Morgan Le Fey, had broken the laws of the Ancients and came through in the end to fight Adria.

Gwaine had laughed at the total irony of it all.

With the Orici defeated, the last hold of the eons long war with the Ori had broken. People of both galaxies were free once and for all.

"I'm gonna see you at your sister's wedding, right?" Mitchell had asked before heading out through the Stargate.

Gwaine had grinned like an idiot and brushed his lengthening hair out of his face. "I'll be there with bells on!"

Things had been different for him since the gene had been activated. He felt complete for the first time in his life, when he hadn't even realized something had been missing.

He also finally realized the thrill of flying, and the adrenaline rush that both Mitchell and Merlin had raved about when they soared through the air. Although, he had to admit being on the back of a living, breathing dragon was better than any aircraft in existence.

The bond he had gained with Aithusa had been mind-blowing in a way he had never even begun to imagine. Their initial days together had been fraught with setbacks, mostly due to the Aithusa's health.

With Sebryn's guidance, Gwaine had finally been able to help Aithusa after so many others had failed her. Her scales practically glowed in the starlight. She would never gain the full size that many of the other drakkon her age achieved, but the muscles had filled out and AIthusa was now the picture of health.

Life was good. He missed his old life and the people he'd left behind, but overall, he couldn't complain.

Gilgamesh had finally given his reluctant blessing to his daughter, and now she sat behind Gwaine on Aithusa's back as he continued to stare at the floating Stargate.

Their journey to Earth wasn't going to be a complete pleasure trip of weddings and new babies. They also had a job to do; dealing with a baby of another variety.

Aithusa admitted to Gwaine that during her centuries of solitude on Earth, she had laid an egg and hidden it in the ice caves of the Arctic.

It was the least he could do to help the other half of his bond find it. A creature like her, flying over the Earth would be dangerous, so they had opted for a different landing point for their initial jump.

"Are we going to do this today, or would you rather wait for the stars to move around us?" Sebryn asked him in a teasing voice.

Gwaine smirked and leaned back against her. "Yeah, I suppose it's time. Alright, Aithusa. Do your thing."

He felt the drakkon smile in his mind as she filled herself with a massive breath.

He doubted he would ever get over the thrill of cascading through a wormhole, but when she exhaled onto the Stargate that was suspended in orbit above the home planet, his pulse jumped.

The Gate flared to life and Aithusa tucked her wings, while her riders crouched over her neck. "Next stop, the Nox Homeworld."

* * *

The afternoon shadows lengthened and Merlin watched as the light played across the lawns. In the evening light, he could see the soul of Old Camelot in the silhouetted outlines. Everything was peaceful and right.

Colonel Mitchell had called him a couple of weeks before and informed him that Gwaine would be coming by for a visit soon. _It will be nice to have everyone together again_ , Merlin thought to himself.

Martha laid dozing in the bed with one of her newborn sons curled up next to her. Merlin held the other and rocked the sleeping babe in his arms.

Percival opened the door, careful to be as quiet as possible. He smiled at Merlin and held it open as his friend came to greet him.

"Percival, could you do me a favor?"

The large man nodded, "Of course!"

"Martha's doctor is at the hospital today. She has some medicine she wants Martha to take to help with any pain and such from the birth. Would you mind driving into town to retrieve it?"

Reaching over, Percival gently tickled the cheek of the newborn. "I'd be happy to. He is a cutie. They both are."

"Thanks." Merlin beamed at his friend. "I'll call and let her know you're on your way."

An hour later and Percival was walking down the corridor of the hospital with a bag from the doctor. It not only held the medicine, but a variety of other goods and essentials for the new mother, all wrapped in a package with a big blue bow.

He looked up as he passed a hallway that led to a small, secluded outdoor garden that had been set up for long-term patients of the hospital.

Outside, a man sat alone, enjoying the brief bout of sunshine that graced the region. His face was turned away from the glass door, looking up into the sky. Something about him peaked Percival's curiosity and he decided to make a detour.

As he pushed open the door, the man turned to look at him and Percival nearly dropped the bag. "Lancelot?"

"Hello. Do you know me?"

Percival was stunned by the question and he took an unconscious step back. He briefly recalled overhearing someone speaking about Daniel Jackson having returned from Ascension with no memory of who he was.

It was hard for Percival to comprehend how anyone could lose their memory like that, but then again, not much about this world made sense some days. He was just happy to see his best friend from so many years ago, sitting in front of him. "Yes, my friend. I do. Don't you remember?"

Lancelot smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't remember much of anything, but you do seem sort of familiar to me. Perhaps you can sit with me and help me."

"I'd be happy to." The large man sat down next to his old friend on the bench.

"I'm sorry, sir. You can't be here. This garden is authorized for patients and registered guests only." A young nurse said, coming through the door like she was on a mission.

"He said he knows me, Ally!" The dark-haired man beamed.

"Is that so? Well, the doctors would like to speak with you, then. If you could just follow me. We have a lot of questions about our friend John here."

Percival's face fell. He wasn't sure how to respond. He would certainly be able to answer their questions, but he knew the answers would make him look like a loon, or worse. Then, he paused and grin began to form.

"Sorry, but I can't answer your questions. I need to take him into custody."

"On whose authority?"

Reaching into his pocket for his identification, he held it out authoritatively. "Torchwood."

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Wow, what a ride this has been! I want to thank everyone who has favorited, followed, reviewed, read, pmed, recommended this story. I am so blessed to have had such a wonderful audience who shared in this journey with me.
> 
> There were many time I'd start down a path, only to find it didn't fit where the characters wanted to go. Or had to completely revamp everything I'd plotted because I couldn't find an explanation that satisfied my own need to keep as few plot holes as possible in such a complex story. I'm sure there are a few plot holes still, as well as some loose ends that should have or could have been tied up. However, after 84 chapters and almost 330,000 words over the course of a year - I'm exhausted! LOL (There are a few oneshot ideas that might pop up from time to time in this universe. However, I'm not sure when or what form they might take.)
> 
> This story would not have been nearly as good with the tireless work of Nance helping to correct my punctuation (Commas will be my doom, I swear!), tweaking my grammar even after the chapters are posted, and suggesting words or phrasing when my own mind couldn't come up with a better way to say what I wanted. Also, IcarusLSU for helping me jumpstart this whole idea to mesh Stargate and Merlin in the first place. Matthew1972(Matthew72 at HoC), and Aerist for their wonderful work on bookcovers and graphics which can be seen on my story index at HoC. Matt (again), as well as Sarajm, IsisAthenaArtimis, Just Crucio It, and others in the HeartofCamelot chat room for their support and encouragement when I needed to bounce ideas and figure out the obvious.
> 
> I hope you all have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Now, with this finished I should be getting back to my Coins series and all the backlog of edits from before I had my personal puffin of proofreading. Once that is caught up I will resume writing Lord of Beasts. I will keep my ffnet profile updated with the current status of that and my other stories. 
> 
> Thank you again! LOVE YOU ALL! *hugs and smooches*


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